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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.

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.

Over 13,700 jobs in Soccsksargen Region on Labor Day job fair

by (DEDoguiles/PIA 12)


KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, April 26 (PIA) -- At least 13,767 jobs are up for grabs in Labor Day job fairs in Soccsksargen Region, Director Chona Mantilla of the Department of Labor and Employment – 12 announced this morning.

Director Mantilla said that on May 1 job fairs will be held simultaneously at Southseas Mall in Cotabato City, at the city gymnasium in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato and at KCC Mall in General Santos City.

“Another job fair will be held at Gaisano Grand Mall in Koronadal City a day earlier (April 30),” she said.

Vacancies include 10,315 jobs for overseas employment and 3,452 jobs for local employment, she added.

One hundred fourteen establishments, including 52 local companies and 62 overseas recruitment agencies have registered their vacancies for the Labor Day job fairs.

Most of these -- 34 local employers and 25 overseas employers -- will be receive applicants at the KCC Mall Convention Center, she explained.

Most wanted for local employment are office clerks, service crews, industry workers, engineers, supervisors, among other while those needed for overseas employment are techvoc professionals, carpenters, masons, welders, electricians and other skilled workers as well as engineers, caregivers, domestics helpers, nurses and other hospital staff, and many others.

“As of last count, 7,175 applicants have already registered with our field offices and Public Employment Service Offices,” Mantilla said, “but walk-in applicants will also be entertained.”

Mantilla advised applicants to bring with them several copies of their pertinent documents such as transcript of record, clearances, résumé, certificates including passport, if available.

She also advised them not to forget to bring pens, to look presentable, and to be always ready to answer questions during the interview.

“The opportunity is there, they should take advantage,” she said “and should apply everything that they have learned in the career coaching at their local PESO and from the school’s career guidance office.”

She added that although Region 12 boasts of 94 percent employment rate, most likely there are more unemployed individuals seeking for jobs with the entrance of recent graduates into the workforce so applicants need to show their best.

Help from several offices, including National Bureau of Investigation, Social Security System, Philhealth and many others will be available at the job fair centers.

DOLE 12 aims to achieve at least 15 percent of the applicants during the Labor Day job fairs to hired on-the-spot.

In General Santos City, DOLE 12 in coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) 12 will also launch convergence of DOLE’s Special Program for the Employment (SPES) and TESDA’s Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP).

Forty –two scholarship grants will be granted during the launching on May 1, Mantilla added, but at least 250 to 250 underprivileged young people ages 15 to 25 years are expected to benefit for the convergence program’s implementation this year.

DOLE 12 will also hold a Wage Clinic at Fred Ann’s Restaurant in Koronadal City in the afternoon of May 1.

Mantilla explained the clinic is an information and awareness drive to explain to stakeholders the implementation of Wage Order RBXII No. 17, which became effective on April 18.

Other field offices DOLE across the region have also planned several activities to celebrate Labor Day.

Among these are franchising seminar for small enterprises, mini-olympics for bankers’ association, and release of starter kits and Nego Karts in Kidapawan City; tree planting, blood-letting, and Pinoy games in Sultan Kudarat province.






Dengue cases drop in Region 12

by (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/23 April) – Dengue cases in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region have dropped by 40 percent in the last three months as the region remained below the alert or epidemic threshold of the deadly mosquito-borne disease.

Dr. Marlyn Convocar, Department of Health (DOH) Region 12 director, said Monday their records as of April 21 showed that dengue cases in the region have reached 452, or around 300 fewer than the confirmed incidence in the same period last year.

Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

“There were no clustering of cases (in any part of the region) and the confirmed cases since January were considered under the alert threshold,” Convocar noted in a report released over the weekend by the regional epidemiology and surveillance unit (RESU).

The DOH’s National Epidemiology Center said a clustering of dengue cases happens when three or more confirmed cases emerge within an affected barangay or community in four consecutive weeks.

But Convocar said they already monitored four confirmed dengue deaths this year compared to only three last year.

This city and nearby Sarangani province reported two deaths each from complications caused by dengue shock syndrome, which comprised just one percent of the confirmed dengue cases, she said.

About 43 percent of the cases were plain dengue fever while 56 percent developed into dengue hemorrhagic fever.

The official said North Cotabato posted the highest dengue incidence with 137, followed by General Santos City with 102, South Cotabato with 78, Cotabato City with 59, Sarangani with 43 and Sultan Kudarat with 33.

The RESU report showed that Cotabato City’s dengue incidence increased by 7 percent or 55 to 59 cases when compared with last year’s records. This city and Sarangani posted a drop of 12 and 26 percent, respectively, but the confirmed dengue deaths in both areas increased by a case each.

Dr. Edgardo Sandig, City Integrated Health Services Office (CIHSO) chief, earlier said the city has remained on alert against possible dengue outbreaks due to the erratic weather condition in the area.

The CIHSO has been closely watching Barangays City Heights, Labangal, Apopong and San Isidro here due to the rising cases of the deadly viral disease.

The four villages, which host several housing subdivisions and crowded residential communities, have registered significant cases of dengue in the last several years based on the CIHSO’s records. Sandig said their intensified campaign against dengue within the city’s 26 barangays is currently ongoing as set by the DOH’s 4-S strategy.

The 4-S strategy stands for search and destroy, self-protection measures, seek early consultation and say no to indiscriminate fogging.

DTI 12 SME caravan reaches Sultan Kudarat

by edgedavao.net


Once again, Sultan Kudarat province’s Department of Trade and Industry will gather micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in Soccsksargen Region to help boost local enterprises. This time though, preferred participants to the SME Caravan 2012 at the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Gymnasium in Isulan town on April 25 to 26 are those who have existing enterprises and are looking for means to improve their businesses. Sultan Kudarat Trade & Industry Provincial Director Nelly Dillera said the SME Caravan 2012 aims to provide the local entrepreneurs with first hand information on entrepreneurship – from improvement of product to capacitating entrepreneurs. “This year’s SME Caravan in Region 12 would help the growing number of entrepreneurs learn how to manage their businesses, access funds, maintain high level of product quality for food and enhance their awareness on sensing the right and legitimate local and international market opportunities,” Dillera said. “There shall also be a topic on Tourism Product Identification and Development to aid the tourism officers and even landowners in identifying potential area for tourism development.” Among the resource persons invited for the breakout sessions include Roberto Castañeda and Euclid Cezar. Castañeda, who will share his knowledge on developing an entrepreneurial mindset and surviving pitfalls of small businesses, is the founder of the Don Roberto’s Winery, producer of the world’s first mango wine. Besides, its green mango and sweet mango wines, his company also produces brewed coffee wine. Cezar, a professor of San Beda College – Manila, is a well-known business coach and host of “Super Entrepinoy” program. He is the owner of Ink More which sells ready-to-use ink cartridges. “We want to benchmark what these entrepreneurs have done to be able to inspire our ‘kababayans’ to aspire to attain what these entrepreneurs have achieved,” Dillera said in an interview with a local radio station. Other resource persons include Engr. Menandro Ortego, OIC Testing and Inspection Division of the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC), who will discuss food safety assurance system; and Dennis Monong, assistant vice president for Mindanao operations of People’s Credit and Finance Corporation (PCFC) who will teach MSMEs how to find best financing for their businesses. Side events such as trade fair of Region 12’s best products, market matching, product evaluation, design exhibit, online business name registration, and plant visit and assessment for the acquisition of Food and Drug License to Operate. Dillera said preferred participants are entrepreneurs involved in the region’s priority industries like processors of coffee, muscovado, banana, coconut, bangus/fishery, crafts, bamboo, pangasius, rubber, palm oil, mango, ICT-BPO. Dillera reported that number of new businesses in Sultan Kudarat has increased 84 percent, from 959 newly registered businesses in 2010 to 1,770 in 2011. Last year, 121 new entrepreneurs were created, which is 74 percent higher than the 107 new entrepreneurs in 2010. This is a two-day activity for free but reservations must be made for pre-screening. Contact the nearest DTI office for details and reservations.

Dengue cases drop in Region 12

by (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)


General Santos City (MindaNews) – Dengue cases in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region have dropped by 40 percent in the last three months as the region remained below the alert or epidemic threshold of the deadly mosquito-borne disease.

Dr. Marlyn Convocar, Department of Health (DOH) Region 12 director, said Monday their records as of April 21 showed that dengue cases in the region have reached 452, or around 300 fewer than the confirmed incidence in the same period last year.

Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

“There were no clustering of cases (in any part of the region) and the confirmed cases since January were considered under the alert threshold,” Convocar noted in a report released over the weekend by the regional epidemiology and surveillance unit (RESU).

The DOH’s National Epidemiology Center said a clustering of dengue cases happens when three or more confirmed cases emerge within an affected barangay or community in four consecutive weeks.

But Convocar said they already monitored four confirmed dengue deaths this year compared to only three last year.

This city and nearby Sarangani province reported two deaths each from complications caused by dengue shock syndrome, which comprised just one percent of the confirmed dengue cases, she said.

About 43 percent of the cases were plain dengue fever while 56 percent developed into dengue hemorrhagic fever.

The official said North Cotabato posted the highest dengue incidence with 137, followed by General Santos City with 102, South Cotabato with 78, Cotabato City with 59, Sarangani with 43 and Sultan Kudarat with 33.

The RESU report showed that Cotabato City’s dengue incidence increased by 7 percent or 55 to 59 cases when compared with last year’s records. This city and Sarangani posted a drop of 12 and 26 percent, respectively, but the confirmed dengue deaths in both areas increased by a case each.

Dr. Edgardo Sandig, City Integrated Health Services Office (CIHSO) chief, earlier said the city has remained on alert against possible dengue outbreaks due to the erratic weather condition in the area.

The CIHSO has been closely watching Barangays City Heights, Labangal, Apopong and San Isidro here due to the rising cases of the deadly viral disease.

The four villages, which host several housing subdivisions and crowded residential communities, have registered significant cases of dengue in the last several years based on the CIHSO’s records. Sandig said their intensified campaign against dengue within the city’s 26 barangays is currently ongoing as set by the DOH’s 4-S strategy.

The 4-S strategy stands for search and destroy, self-protection measures, seek early consultation and say no to indiscriminate fogging.






Sultan Kudarat to host SME Caravan 2012

by Philippine News Agency


MORE than 100 micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in the Region 12 are expected to gather at the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Gymnasium here on April 25-26 for the SME Caravan 2012. Director Nelly Dillera, Sultan Kudarat Trade and Industry Provincial director, said the SME Caravan 2012 aims to provide the local entrepreneurs with fi rst hand information on entrepreneurship - from improvement of product to capacitating entrepreneurs.

Dillera said the focus of this year's SME Caravan in Region 12 is to help the growing number of entrepreneurs learn how to manage their businesses, access funds, maintain high level of product quality for food and enhance their awareness on sensing the right and legitimate market opportunities both locally and internationally. There shall also be a topic on Tourism Product Identifi cation and Development to aid the tourism offi cers and even Landowners in identifying potential area for tourism development.

Expert speakers will come from successful companies in Manila. Dillera said the SME Caravan shall also be highlighted by side events like Trade Fair of Region 12's Best Products, Market Matching, Product Evaluation, Design Exhibit, Business Name Registration on line and Plant Visit and Assessment for the acquisition of Food and Drug License to Operate. Par ticipants to the fair should preferably be existing entrepreneurs who are in the region's priority industries like processors of coffee, muscovado, banana, coconut, bangus/ fishery, crafts, bamboo, pangasius, rubber, palm oil, mango, ICT-BPO. PNA





Soldiers discover marijuana plantation in Sultan Kudarat

by Philippine News Agency


CAMP PANACAN, Davao City -- Members of the 27th Infantry Battalion discovered a marijuana plantation in Sitio Ubon, Barangay Makat in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat on Thursday afternoon.

Lt. Col. Alexis Noel Bravo, commanding officer of the 27th Infantry Battalion, disclosed that the plantation was discovered while the troops were on security patrol around 5:30 a.m. on April 19.

He said the property was owned allegedly by Gipay Dalumatan and his son, Primi Dalumatan, residing at Barangay Makat proper, about four kilometers away from the plantation. He said some 30 fully-grown marijuana plants were uprooted and brought to the Columbio police station for proper disposition and further investigation.

He said the raiders were from the Peace and Development Team of Alpha Company led by 2Lt. Jayson Ramos.

Bravo said coordination had already been made with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA XII) for proper reports and documentation of the incident.

“We are doing everything we can, in coordination with the PNP, to stop the proliferation of marijuana in our area of responsibility,” he said.

CIDG-12 enlists 400 professionals as ‘agents’

by News Flash.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region has tapped the services of various local professionals to assist its operations in the area.

Senior Supt. Noli Romana, CIDG Region 12 director, said some 400 professionals took their oaths recently to become part of the agency’s community investigative support or CIS unit in the region.

Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

“The CIS unit is composed of former police and military officers, lawyers, doctors, engineers and other professionals who have volunteered to share information and their expertise to assist our operations,” he said.

Romana said the CIS members will also serve as “force multiplier” in the conduct of police operations as well as in the gathering of intelligence and investigative information.

CIDG launched the CIS program last year to involve the services of professionals in its special investigative work.

The agency initially targeted to recruit around 1,000 professionals throughout the country and train them to become CIS “agents.”

The CIS was conceptualized within the context of the Philippine National Police Letter of Instruction “Bayanihan,” which mainly aims to curb criminality and maintain peace and order with the participation of the community.

“The CIS will serve as the CIDG’s citizen investigative network whose function is to help in information and evidence gathering, pre-empt crimes and to solve cases,” a project briefer said.

It said the CIS members will become legitimate agents of the CIDG “as they were clothed legally with the power to arrest lawless elements, issued with the CIDG’s badge and identification cards and are on the official roster of the CIDG.” (PNA)

LAP/FFC/AVE/HST

Lift Tampakan open-pit mining ban’

by Othel V. Campos


DAVAO DEL SUR —- Kiblawan Mayor Marivic Diamante and two fellow executives said the open-pit mining prohibition in South Cotabato spells certain doom unless lifted before irreversible damage is done to their economy.

“We are talking about an investment that promises to bring an economic push that we badly need; the open-pit ban puts everything in jeopardy,” she said.

Kiblawan is a second class municipality northeast of Tampakan which hosts the biggest copper-gold mine site in the Southeast Asia West Pacific Region.

Diamante said the town’s stake in the $5.9 billion venture includes the construction of infrastructure, concentrator, fresh water dam, and a waste rock storage facility, with potential revenue from property and operational taxes for expanding services to communities.

“This is an economic impact that we will protect and we will fight for even if we have to go to the courts,” she said.

A lawyer, Diamante said she has aligned with Tampakan Mayor Leonardo Escobillo, and Columbio Mayor Datu Amirh Musali of Sultan Kudarat to oppose the ban and press for its lifting.

“We have agreed to exhaust all administrative means.”

Diamante said they have sent manifestations to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Malacañang, including signatures of their constituents pushing for the mining project.

“In the spirit of public-private sector partnership, we will fight for this investment,” she said.

“The unconstitutionality of the South Cotabato provincial ban on open-pit mining is very clear in the face of an existing national law on mining,” she noted, referring to the 1995 Philippine Mining Act and its intent to open up business, trade and industry outside urban centers.

“We don’t want to unfairly burden a private sector investor who is willing to bring sustainable development to a remote municipality such as Kiblawan.”






Major irrigation system to shutdown for three months

by Bong S. Sarmiento


KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/16 April)—A major repair of an irrigation system that serves thousands of hectares of palay farms in the provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat will push next month, an official said. Ramon A. Bugacia, National Irrigation Administration manager for South Cotabato, said the Allah River Irrigation System (ARIS) will be shut down to restore the dam’s efficiency. “From the original four months, we have reduced the repair work schedule to three months to minimize its impact on palay farmers because when their livelihood is affected, it also has effects on the [local] economy,” he told reporters recently. The major repair works include two dams that have not undergone major rehabilitation works since they were commissioned in the early 1970s. Some P138 million has been allocated to cover the rehabilitation of the dams and line canals. “This is the biggest annual budget that we have gotten so far since previously we were only getting P30 million to P40 million a year, and this is because of the target of the Aquino government for food self-sufficiency and to stop rice importation by 2013,” Bugacia earlier said. Reynaldo H. Legaste, South Cotabato chief agriculture officer, earlier said the closure of the dams would affect an estimated 7,000 hectares of rice farms in South Cotabato and another 2,000 hectares in neighboring Sultan Kudarat. For the estimated 7,000 hectares of palay farms in South Cotabato that would be hit by the irrigation repair works, the yield would be equivalent to 28,000 tons or 28 million kilograms, Legaste said. “That is enough to feed the population of South Cotabato for three months,” he stressed. Based on the 2007 census, South Cotabato has a population of nearly 770,000 people. The estimated rice production loss in the province is equivalent to 30%, which normally is the surplus per cropping cycle that is brought to other neighboring regions like Davao. Legaste said this may lead to an artificial shortage in neighboring regions that would lead to price increases, as the demand would overwhelm the supply.

He failed to state though the possible price adjustment in the looming rice shortage projected to hit the area. In 2008, prices of rice almost doubled to P50 per kilo in Mindanao due to scarce global rice supply, sending a long queue of people in stores buying cheaper rice from the National Food Authority at a controlled volume. Today’s prices of premium commercial rice in South Cotabato range between P34 and P37 from between P30 and P35 per kilo a few months ago. Legaste said that farmers affected by the shutdown of the irrigation system would get subsidies if they resort to other crops. Also, they would still have an income since they would be hired as laborers in the irrigation system’s rehabilitation works, he said. (Bong Sarmiento/MindaNews)






Major irrigation system in South Cotabato undergoes major repair starting May 1

by (PNA)

dct/LDV/AVE/RSS


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 16 (PNA) -- A major repair of an irrigation system that serves thousands of hectares of palay farms in the provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat will push through starting May 1, an official said.

Ramon Bugacia, National Irrigation Administration manager for South Cotabato, said the Allah River Irrigation System (ARIS) will be closed down for repairs for three months to restore the facility’s efficiency.

“From the original four months, we have reduced the repair work schedule to three months to minimize its impact to palay farmers because when their livelihood is affected, it also has effects to the [local] economy,” he told reporters.

The major repair works include two dams that have not undergone major rehabilitation works since they were commissioned in the early 1970s.

Some P138 million has been allocated to cover the rehabilitation of the dams and line canals.

"This is the biggest annual budget that we have gotten so far since previously, we were only getting P30 million to P40 million a year, and this is because of the target of the Aquino government for food self-sufficiency and to stop rice importation by 2013," Bugacia said.

Reynaldo Legaste, South Cotabato chief agriculture officer, earlier said the closure of the dams would affect an estimated 7,000 hectares of rice farms in South Cotabato and another 2,000 hectares in neighboring Sultan Kudarat.

For the estimated 7,000 hectares of palay farms in South Cotabato that would be hit by the irrigation repair works, the yield would be equivalent to 28,000 tons or 28 million kilograms, Legaste said.

“That is enough to feed the population of South Cotabato for three months,” he stressed.

Based on the 2007 census, South Cotabato has a population of nearly 770,000 people.

The estimated rice production loss in the province is equivalent to 30 percent, which normally is the surplus per cropping cycle that is brought to other neighboring regions like Davao.

Legaste said this may lead to an artificial shortage in neighboring regions that would lead to price increases, as the demand would overwhelm the supply.

In 2008, prices of rice almost double to P50 per kilo in Mindanao due to scarce global rice supply, sending a long queue of people in stores buying cheaper rice from the National Food Authority at a controlled volume.

Today’s prices of premium commercial rice in South Cotabato range between P34 to P37 from P30 to P35 per kilo a few months ago.

Legaste said that farmers affected by the shutdown of the irrigation system would get subsidies if they resort to other crops.

Also, they would still have an income since they would be hired as laborers in the irrigation system’s rehabilitation works, he said.

Major irrigation system to shut down for 3 months

by Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper


"From the original four months, we have reduced the repair work schedule to three months to minimize its impact to palay farmers because when their livelihood is affected, it also has effects to the [local] economy," he told reporters recently.

The major repair works include two dams that have not undergone major rehabilitation works since they were commissioned in the early 1970s.

Some P138 million has been allocated to cover the rehabilitation of the dams and line canals.

"This is the biggest annual budget that we have gotten so far since previously, we were only getting P30 million to P40 million a year, and this is because of the target of the Aquino government for food self-sufficiency and to stop rice importation by 2013," Bugacia earlier said.

Reynaldo H. Legaste, South Cotabato chief agriculture officer, earlier said the closure of the dams would affect an estimated 7,000 hectares of rice farms in South Cotabato and another 2,000 hectares in neighboring Sultan Kudarat.

For the estimated 7,000 hectares of palay farms in South Cotabato that would be hit by the irrigation repair works, the yield would be equivalent to 28,000 tons or 28 million kilograms, Legaste said.

"That is enough to feed the population of South Cotabato for three months," he said.

Based on the 2007 census, South Cotabato has a population of nearly 770,000 people.

The estimated rice production loss in the province is equivalent to 30 percent, which normally is the surplus per cropping cycle that is brought to other neighboring regions like Davao.

Legaste said this may lead to an artificial shortage in neighboring regions that would lead to price increases, as the demand would overwhelm the supply.

He failed to state though the possible price adjustment in the looming rice shortage projected to hit the area.

In 2008, prices of rice almost double to P50 per kilo in Mindanao due to scarce global rice supply, sending a long queue of people in stores buying cheaper rice from the National Food Authority at a controlled volume.

Today's prices of premium commercial rice in South Cotabato range between P34 to P37 from P30 to P35 per kilo a few months ago.

Legaste said farmers affected by the shutdown of the irrigation system would get subsidies if they resort to other crops.

Also, they would still have an income since they would be hired as laborers in the irrigation system’s rehabilitation works, he said.

Al-Khobar gang blamed for latest North Cotabato bus bombing

by Jeoffrey Maitem and Dennis Santos

Inquirer Mindanao


COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Police officials here said Saturday they were certain that the al-Khobar extortion group, which has ties to the Abu Sayyaf, was behind the April 11 bus blast in North Cotabato that killed three persons and wounded more than a dozen others. Chief Suprintendent Felicisimo Khu, head of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao, said two al-Khobar members linked to last Wednesday’s bombing were now being hunted down. The Rural Transit Bus had come from Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat and was on its way to Cagayan de Oro City when the bomb exploded. “The two suspects boarded the bus in Kabacan (North Cotabato) and they detonated the homemade bomb in Carmen (also in North Cotabato),” Khu said, adding that “we have a witness that identified the suspects as such.” He did not say how the witness was able to confirm that the suspects were members of al-Khobar. Khu said that Rural Transit did not receive any threat from the extortion gang prior to the attack. Khu said the police suspect that business rivalry, and not solely extortion, was the main reason the bus company was attacked by the al-Khobar gang, the same group that was responsible for over a dozen bus bombings in Mindanao since 2001. He said whoever was unhappy about Rural Transit’s presence in the Cagayan de Oro-Tacurong route might have contracted the al-Khobar to attack the bus company. He declined to elaborate on the theory though. To prevent a repeat of the April 11 incident, Khu said, the authorities have asked the Rural Transit management to prohibit bus drivers from picking up passengers outside designated terminal areas.

DA releases P6.9-M farm equipment to South Cotabato farmers

by PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY


GENERAL SANTOS City – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has released some P6.9 million worth of farm equipment to farmers’ groups in South Cotabato in a bid to further improve the area’s agricultural production. Amalia Datukan, DA Region 12 director, said the assistance was part of the ongoing implementation of the agency’s rice mechanization and post harvest facility assistance program, which was availed by irrigators associations and cooperative in the area. Datukan said it was also in line with the Agri Pinoy food staple sufficiency program pushed by DA Secretary Proceso Alcala. “President Benigno S. Aquino III had endorsed this program as one of his administration’s top priorities,” she said. Under the program, Datukan said South Cotabato received an allocation of 32 hand tractor units worth P3.95 million; 10 units of rice threshers worth P1.13 million; one unit of four-wheel drive tractor worth P761,117; and, nine units of multi-purpose drying pavement worth P1.125 million. The recipients were the Parbangon Irrigators Association of Barangay San Felipe in Tantangan; farmers group Komatiku of Barangay Sto. Nino in Koronadal City; Lower Tampakan Creek Irrigators Association of Barangay Concepcion in Koronadal City; SANISCA Irrigators Association Inc. of Barangay San Isidro in Koronadal City; PAGMACE Irrigators Association of Barangay Cabuling in Tantangan; Magic Flower Irrigators Association of Barangay GPS in Koronadal City; BINTIKU multi-purpose cooperative of Barangay Dajay in Surallah; SOCOSEPCO of Koroandal City; The Rice Field Irrigators Association of Barangay Carpenter Hill in Koronadal City; Country Folks Irrigators Assocaition of Bo. 3 in Banga; Modern Farmer Irrigators Association of Barangay San Isidro in Koronadal City; Siok Communal Irrigators Association of Koornadal City; Cabuling Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Barangay Cabuling in Tantangan; and, San Felipe Irrigators Association of Barangay San Felipe in Tantangan are also beneficiaries. Datukan said the beneficiaries availed of the farm equipment through a cost-sharing scheme. She said the agency shouldered 85 percent of the costs while the beneficiaries contributed 15 percent as counterpart. The DA’s share for the total cost of the farm equipment was P6.09 million while the recipients’ share was P877,787. Datukan said the newly-released farm equipment was part of the P20 million worth of farm machineries earlier allocated for Region 12. Aside from South Cotabato, she said the agency also released 33 hand tractors, 11 threshers and two four-wheel drive tractors to beneficiaries in North Cotabato. They have allocated 34 hand tractors, 10 threshers and two four-wheel drive tractors to Sultan Kudarat as well as nine hand tractors and four threshers to Sarangani Province.

Biz rivalry eyed in Cotabato bus blast

by Bong S. Sarmiento and Malu Cadeliña Manar


KORONADAL CITY – Authorities are looking at business rivalry as a possible motive in the latest bomb attack against a bus company that killed three passengers and injured 17 others, a police official said Thursday.

Chief Superintendent Felicissimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (Dipo) for Western Mindanao, said the business rivalry theory cropped up after the management of Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. denied they received extortion demands.

"Curiously, only the buses of Rural Transit have been attacked when there are many other passenger [buses] plying the same route," he said.

But police in North Cotabatao identified two alleged "remnants" of the notorious Al-Khobar Group as behind the Wedensday's bus explosion in Carmen, North Cotabatao.

Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, police provincial director, said they were able to identify the bomb couriers after witnesses spotted them in a gallery of photos of the most wanted criminals in Southwest Mindanao, which was presented to them during the investigations.

Salinas, however, refused to divulge to the media the suspects' identities for fear it might put at risk their surveillance, monitoring, and manhunt operations.

Salinas was certain that extortion was the motive behind the latest attack against Rural Transit.

"There is no doubt that extortion was the real motive, although we don’t discount the possibility that it was part of a terror attack," Salinas said.

Khu said since 2009, there have been 10 bomb attacks against the units of Rural Transit.

The latest occurred Wednesday morning in the town of Carmen, North Cotabato while a unit was moving towards the town's terminal. A 10-year-old girl was among the fatalities.

The bus was bound for Cagayan de Oro and came from Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat.

Khu said the improvised explosive device that was planted inside the bus was fashioned from a .60 mm mortar shell.

The police official said they would not have theorized business rivalry if other bus companies plying the same route has also been attacked.

Khu said they hope to crack the case with the help of a witness who saw the man who allegedly planted the improvised bomb.

The worst attack against Rural Transit was in October 2010, which killed 10 persons and injured several others when a bomb also exploded inside a unit while cruising Matalam town in North Cotabato en route to Tacurong City from Cagayan de Oro City.

The Al-Khobar, an extortion ring operating in Southwest Mindanao, has alleged links with a terror group, reports from the police said.

Salinas said they are now readying charges against those responsible for the attack.

According to the police official, it was unfortunate that despite their repeated appeals to bus companies not to pick up passengers along the highway, drivers and other workers of the Rural Transit, even from other bus companies plying the Cotabato-Davao highway, had “again and again” defied their orders.

“Witnesses saw two bomb couriers who posted as passengers boarded the Rural Transit Bus with body number 2922 and plate number KVS-740 when the vehicle was already in transit going to the Carmen highway. The suspects disembarked from the bus just few meters away from the transport terminal in Carmen town,” he said.





Power summit set in Davao

by Delon Porcalla


MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will preside over the Mindanao Power Summit in Davao City on Friday to discuss with local stakeholders how they want to address the energy crisis in Mindanao.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the conference will start at 9 a.m. at the Waterfront Hotel. It will be attended by key officials including Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) chairperson Lou Antonino.

Lacierda belied insinuations that the scheduled Energy Summit is merely a moro-moro, or stage-managed, pointing out that Minda has been in charge of the summit mechanics.

“The Energy Summit was organized by Mindanao Development Authority, the (DOE) Department of Energy is only helping out. The lead government agency here is Minda of Secretary Lou Antonino which, you know, would look into the interest of the peoples of Mindanao,” Lacierda stressed.

Lacierda said the conference has been publicized in newspapers as well as aired over national television and radio stations.

“It’s not a secret-the Energy Summit is not a secret. The people of Minda have been preparing the people of Mindanao,” he said.

“You’ve got several stakeholders in Mindanao. You’ve got the generators, the transmission distributors, the electric cooperatives, the consumers, the local government.”

Lacierda said the conference is aimed at getting a consensus on how to address the energy situation in Mindanao.

He said President Aquino would allow the stakeholders in Mindanao to decide how to handle the power crisis in the region.

“There are proposed solutions but it is something that they would have to decide. That’s why the President has always stated it is open to everybody. Everybody should be on the same page when it comes to addressing the concern of energy in Mindanao,” Lacierda said.

“They have to come up with concrete solutions because this is precisely to address the energy situation in Mindanao. And it will be up to the people of Mindanao to come up and agree to that consensus,” he added.

In some areas in Mindanao, electricity is being rationed for almost three months now by local service utilities due to lack of supply from state-run hydroelectric plants in Lanao del Sur.

The affected provinces are North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.

They are bracing yet for longer blackouts with the planned general maintenance check of the Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant in Bukidnon to start anytime soon.

The facility produces 180 megawatts of electricity for the Mindanao grid, or about one-fourth of the island’s power requirement.

The DOE announced the impending maintenance check last Monday.

Local power cooperatives have been imposing two to four-hour sectional blackouts due to the scarcity of power supply.

Vice Mayor Joseph Evangelista of Kidapawan City, North Cotabato said the local businesses would be affected if the Pulangi IV facility will be shut for a periodic maintenance check.

“Businesses in Kidapawan City and in surrounding towns in North Cotabato have plummeted in recent weeks as a result of the lack of power supply and soon this facility in Bukidnon will shut down for a maintenance check,” Evangelista said.

The Cotabato Electric Cooperative, which serves Kidapawan City and the 17 towns in North Cotabato, said the shutdown of the Pulangi IV plant would increase to between 300 to 350 megawatts the power deficiency being experienced now in many areas in Mindanao.

Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr., on the other hand, urged President Aquino to reconsider the emergency powers being granted by Congress to solve the present power shortage in Mindanao and strategically prepare for the upcoming power supply needs of the Luzon and Visayas islands in the coming years.

Espino cited the success of former President Fidel Ramos in solving the 8 to 12-hour blackouts that hit Metro Manila in1992.

“President Ramos was willingly granted emergency power through the Emergency Electric Power Law by Congress months after he assumed as President. By Christmas, in December 2003, the power problem was solved,” Espino said.

Espino also cited the recent warning of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that there will be a national crisis if the government failed to resolve the problem in power supply in Mindanao.

He confirmed Sen. Edgardo Angara’s warning that Luzon would also have power crisis in 2014 as well as the Visayas if there will be no new power plants.

Espino lauded Aquino’s initiative to preside the Energy Summit and sit down with stakeholders and discuss ways to address the energy crisis that has been causing up to 15-hour long power outages in Mindanao. - With John Unson, Non Alquitran






Pacquiao for senator in 2013?

by ABS-CBNnews.com


MANILA, Philippines - Vice-President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday said Sarangani congressman and 8-division boxing champ Manny Pacquiao is welcome to join the senatorial ticket of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

In a visit to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, Binay confirmed that the coalition of his Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party and former President Joseph Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) is attracting many potential candidates for the 2013 polls.

He confirmed Pacquiao is one of the names being floated as a possible senatorial bet. He added, however, that any talk of the Pacman's possible senatorial run will have to wait until after his prize fight with Timothy Bradley in June.

Pacquiao won a seat in the House of Representatives in the 2010 elections, but he is noted for being one of the top absentees in the House. He earlier said he does not want to run for re-election but will instead run for governor of Sarangani next year.

24 killed in Holy Week mishaps

by Ric Sapnu, Michelle Zoleta, Non Alquitran, Eva Visperas


MANILA, Philippines – A total of 24 people died while some 63 others were injured in various accidents during the Holy Week, disaster management officials said yesterday.

In a report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that most of the dead drowned while others figured in fire, vehicular and maritime accidents.

Out of the 24 fatalities, 12 drowned, nine were killed in a vehicular accident and three died in a fire.

All injured victims figured in vehicular accidents in Abra, Bataan, Benguet, Cotabato, La Union, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Valenzuela City. One was injured after a motorized boat capsized in Agusan del Norte.

In La Union and Pangasinan, four people died in separate drowning incidents last Saturday.

Janiesha Avril Libadia, 3, of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur drowned while playing along the shoreline of Barangay Quirino in Bacnotan, La Union at about 10 a.m.

In Bauang town, Romulo Flores, 55, drowned while swimming in Bauang River at around 2 p.m.

In San Fabian, Pangasinan, Aron Ocampo, 14 of Villasis, Pangasinan and Bryan de Jesus, 14 of Angeles City, Pampanga drowned along the shoreline of Barangay Nibaliw at about 4:10 p.m. The victims were rushed to the Dagupan City Medical Center but died before receiving medical attention.

Drowning incidents also occurred on April 5 in Bangar, La Union and Cavinti, Laguna.

In Bangar, seven-year-old Bhejay Collado drowned at Busilac River at about 11:30 a.m. Before the incident, the victim and a relative reportedly crossed the river using a bamboo raft. Upon reaching the other side of the river, the victim was allegedly left alone by his companion, who bought something at a nearby store.

The relative then noticed that the victim was already missing. The boy’s lifeless body was later found in the river with the help of local residents.

Carlos Taylan, 13, drowned at 10:31 a.m. in Lake Caliraya, Cavinti, Laguna last Thursday. Taylan was rushed to the Laguna Provincial Hospital but died before receiving medical attention. The victim’s companion, Camille Taylan, 15, was immediately rescued by the authorities.

NDRRMC said the incident was brought to the attention of the Provincial Tourism Office because it was evident that the raft used by the victim lacked lifesaving equipment.

In Ifugao, disaster management officials recovered the body of a Romanian national who was reported missing last Wednesday.

The victim, identified as George Sfintes, 22, was reported missing while swimming in Tappiyah Falls with eight other foreigners.

Disaster management officials have coordinated with the Romanian embassy in Makati regarding the remains.

On Tuesday, one person died and two others were reported missing after a motorized boat capsized in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte.

NDRRMC said MB Lake Cruiser capsized along Lake Mainit near Sitio Sibayugan, Barangay Bunga in Jabonga town at about 4:30 p.m.

Passenger Melucina Mahilum, 63, drowned. Another passenger, Susan Beldimisa, sustained injuries.

The two other passengers that were reported missing are Antonette Sebian, 36, and Kris Alimpus, 10. The passengers were guests of Casili Lakeside Resort in Mainit, Surigao del Norte.

In Sariaya, Mauban and Infanta Quezon, three separate drowning incidents occurred that claimed the lives of two children and one male teenager during Sabado de Gloria, a pre-Easter Sunday celebration.

Police Senior Superintendent Valeriano de Leon identified the fatalities as Gilbert Ramos, Jannah Bauson and Daniel James Esplana of Candelaria, Mauban, and Infanta, Quezon.

They were declared dead on arrival by attending physicians after being brought by kin to the Candelaria United Doctors Hospital, Mauban District Hospital and CM Recto Hospital.

According to investigators, Daniel, 7, and his family were at Abiawin Beach Resort when the incident happened. Around 12:30 p.m. upon noticing that he was missing, they immediately sought the help of the Bureau of Fire and Naval Base to search for him.

Jannah, 6, was also with her family when she drowned. Her body was found at the adjacent Cabana Beach Resort in Mauban.

Gilbert, 17, was swimming alone at Triple J Beach Resort in Sariaya when he drowned due to the depth and strong current.

Another joyous outing ended in tragedy on Saturday, when a 47-year-old employee drowned in Marikina City.

The employees who attended the company outing were preparing to leave for home when they noticed that one of them, Bonifacio Esteban, 47, was missing. They found his body at the bottom of the swimming pool at about 3 p.m.

The attending lifeguards applied first aid treatment before rushing him to the Saint Vincent hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Local police already sought a copy of footage of the surveillance camera installed by the swimming pool to determine whether there was foul play.

Police investigators are also gathering evidence to determine whether the owner of Flamengo Garden Resort can be held liable for Esteban’s death.

Road kills

Meanwhile, seven people were killed and at least 13 others injured in three separate vehicular accidents in Bataan and Nueva Ecija.

Senior Superintendent Ricardo Zapata, Bataan police provincial director reported that four were killed in Samal town.

Zapata identified the victims as Samuel Vasquez, 22, Janmark Perrera, 21, Norman Cerezo and Jason Paragon. They were on board a motorized tricycle when they accidentally collided with a Bataan Transit passenger bus along Roman Highway in Barangay Imelda.

Vasquez, driver of the motorized tricycle, and Perrera died while receiving treatment at Bataan General Hospital in Balanga City, while Cerezo and Paragon are presently undergoing treatment.

In Mariveles town, Zapata said that four motorcycles collided while traversing the Roman Superhighway in Barangay Ala-asin at about 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The fatalities were identified as Jesus Rubio, 39, Conrado Rodriguez, 54, and Marjorie Gaviola, all residents of Mt View, Barangay Cabcabin in Mariveles.

Those injured were Marvinz Gaviola, Allan Martin and the two kids identified as Allison Rubio, 4, and Mark Vincent Gaviola, 7, all of Barangay Cabcabin.

According to Nueva Ecija police director Senior Superintendent Roberto Aliggayu, two persons were killed while seven others were injured in separate vehicular accidents in Nueva Ecija.

The fatalities were identified as Alexis Orogo, 28, of Malabon City and a still unidentified motorcycle driver.

Those injured were Jerome Santos, 16; Melvin Santos, 18; Mervin Alvo, 18; Kevin Micahel de la Cruz, 18; and Noel Alvo, 19 of Barangay San Fabian in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija. Romnick Castro and Don-Don Aguna, also injured, are both from Barangay Bonifacio in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija.

Aliggayu said that Orogo, driver of Mitsubishi Adventure, bumped a concrete fence in Barangay San Pascual, Talavera town, after its front tire exploded at about 4:30 a.m. Thursday. Orogo died while undergoing treatment in hospital.

Meanwhile, the unidentified motorcycle driver died on the spot after he slammed into the rear portion of the ten-wheeler truck in Barangay San Andres, Guimba town.

Separate vehicular incidents in Cotabato and Abra also left two persons dead.

On Friday, one person died after a motorcycle lost control and bumped into a tree at Barangay Labaan in San Quintin, Abra at about 2 p.m.

The driver of the motorcycle, identified as Marcelino Cantano, 18, was brought to the Abra Provincial Hospital but died before receiving medical treatment.

Two other passengers – Rogelio Padillon, 24, and Rumar Palos, 20 — sustained minor injuries.

On the other hand, a vehicular accident in M’lang, Cotabato on Tuesday left one dead and 28 others injured.

Initial investigations revealed that the driver of a truck without a license plate lost control of his vehicle.

The authorities are still identifying the victim of the truck accident but most of the injured passengers are residents of Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat.

Meanwhile a fire incident in San Mateo, Rizal on April 5 claimed the lives of three people.

The incident occurred at 25 Wallastic St. Clemente compound, Dulong Bayan 1 in San Mateo town at 2:20 a.m.

The fire started from a charcoal-based cooker that was left unattended in the kitchen of one of the fatalities, Esperanza Gaboa, 65.

The two other dead were identified as James Bolaños, 12 and Ian Marko Bolaños, 10. The fire damaged about P200,000 worth of property.

Corn borer remains susceptible to Bt

by LYN RESURRECCION


ASIAN corn borer (ACB) (Ostrinia furnacalis) that destroys ordinary corn crops in the Philippines remain susceptible to or die when they eat the insect-resistant genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn. This was the result of a study made by a team of scientists, led by Dr. Edwin Alcantara of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna. Members of the team are Drs. Arnold Estrada and Victor Alpuerto of Monsanto Philippines Inc., and Graham Head of Monsanto Llc. in the United States.

“So far, no field-evolved ACB resistance has been detected after almost 10 years of Bt corn adoption,” Searca Biotech Information Center said in a press release.

This study is very significant for the Philippines which has an increasing number of hectarage planted to Bt corn—from 300,000 hectares in 2007 to more than 600,000 hectares in 2011, based on data from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

The ISAAA report also said more than 300,000 Filipino farmers planted Bt corn.

Alcantara made the disclosure in his lecture, titled “Monitoring Cry1ab Susceptibility in Asian Corn Borer on Bt Corn in the Philippines,” for the Biotech Monthly Seminar. A copy of the study was obtained by the BusinessMirror.

The study made in 2009 showed that mortality response of ACB to the concentration of Cry1Ab protein in Bt corn ranged from 94.54 percent to 100 percent.

These are shown in the Isabela towns of Aurora (98.48 percent ACB mortality), Cauayan (94.54 percent), Echague (97.27 percent), Luna (98.67 percent) and Tumauini (98.56 percent); Koronadal, South Cotabato (99.10 percent); Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat (100 percent); and Los Baños, Laguna (99.10 percent).

“The Mindanao ACB populations from Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat and Koronadal, South Cotabato, were highly susceptible to [or killed by] Cry1Ab [Bt] protein, but less than 99 percent mortality was observed with all populations from Isabela province in Luzon, including a previously untested site at Tumauini,” the study said.

For the Cauayan ACB population, about 40 percent of surviving larvae developed into adults but the egg masses laid by these adults failed to eclose. Only the adults developing from survivors of the Echague population were able to produce viable egg masses.

The study also said that confirmatory testing with Bt corn leaves had no survivors, despite 100 percent survival of larvae on non-Bt corn, confirming the susceptible status of these ACB populations.

For the 2009 study the corn borer collection sites were selected from the areas where Bt corn had a relatively long planting history and high adaption levels. In selecting sites, it was assumed that resistance would be likely to develop in areas where there had been three successive corn cropping seasons.

The transgenic corn with the Cry1Ab protein from Bt was used to control the destructive populations of ACB which affect vast tracks of corn farm in the Philippines.

Bt corn was commercialized in the Philippines in 2002. However, before its commercialization, the study said that an important prerequisite is a monitoring scheme for detecting the early evolution of ACB resistance to Bt corn.

This required the estimation of baseline susceptibility of Philippine ACB populations to Cry1Ab, which can be compared with future estimates of ACB susceptibility obtained after deployment of Cry1Ab corn.

The study said the baseline susceptibility estimates also can be used as the basis for selecting a diagnostic concentration for resistance monitoring. A dose of toxin that kills 99 percent of susceptible individuals has been proposed for diagnostic bioassays.

The objectives of the study were 1) to quantify baseline susceptibility of Philippine ACB populations to Cry1Ab protein of Bt before the deployment of Bt corn, 2) to develop a diagnostic concentration for monitoring of ACB resistance to Bt corn, and 3) to use the diagnostic concentration to monitor field populations for changes in susceptibility to Cry1Ab toxin in locations where multiple Bt corn have been grown. The study was completed in several stages between 2002 and 2010. Baseline susceptibility was assessed between 2002 and 2004.

Since Bt corn was first approved for commercial planting in the Philippines in December 2002, by 2004 it covered only around 1 percent of the country’s corn area. Thus, all baseline data were collected before Bt corn was largely used in the Philippine agricultural system.

The largest number of the collections was made from Isabela province in Luzon, because this area has the largest land area being used for corn production in the country. Collections were also made on Mindanao and three other provinces on Luzon

In 2007 three potential concentrations for diagnostic bioassays were evaluated and the candidate concentration was validated later in 2007 and during 2008.

In 2009 ACB populations which had been exposed to three Bt corn crops were evaluated with the diagnostic concentration.

The study said it has developed a diagnostic concentration for Bt susceptibility that is currently being used for monitoring ACB-resistance development in Bt corn in the Philippines.

“The results of this monitoring program so far indicate that ACB populations in the Philippines remain susceptible to Cry1Ab Bt corn hybrids,” the study said.

CITCI netters advance in Davao tilt

by CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON


PLAYERS OF THE Cebu International Tennis Centre Inc. advanced to the next round of the 1st leg of the Smart Head Junior Satellite Circuit 2012 in Davao City. Kristin Renee Salimbangon advanced to the finals of the girls 12-under category, wherein she is seeded third. She will contest the title against no. 4 seed Kathlenrey Arandia of Cotabato City today. Enroute to the finals, Salimbangon thrashed Aubrey Calma of Cagayan, 7-6, 6-2, in the quarterfinals and blasted second seed Carlyn Bless Guarde of Sultan Kudarat, 4-1, 5-3, in the semifinals. The matches were shortened to accommodate all entries. Salimbangon’s younger brother Cesar Kristofer Salimbangon also advanced to the semifinals of the unisex 10 under. He arranged a semifinals match against the no.1 seed Alfred Derecto of Sultan Kudarat. He clinched his semifinals ticket by surviving the age-group’s 3rd-seed Minette April Bentillo, 1-6, 7-5, 10-7, also of Sultan Kudarat.

8 nabbed for fake fertilizers

by Alfred Dalizon


AUTHORITIES arrested eight members of a group selling adulterated fertilizer products in a series of raids in Mindanao Thursday.

The fake fertilizers were blamed for the massive decline of crops production in the region.

Pagdilao said CIDG agents stormed several warehouses and farmhouses in Davao City, Kapalong and Sto. Tomas towns in Davao del Norte, Pikit and Kabacan towns in North Cotabato, and Isulan in Sultan Kudarat and seized sacks of adulterated fertilizer products.

Among the confiscated evidence were sacks of ammonium sulfates, ammonium phosphates, urea fertilizers, muriate of potash and monosodium sulfate salt.

The raiding team arrested Edgar Calledo and seven of his workers caught mixing and repacking suspected adulterated fertilizer products inside a warehouse in Maa, Davao City.

The raid stemmed from a complaint filed by the La Filipina Uygongco Corp., and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority in the region.

Pagdilao said the suspects’ modus operandi involves mixing salt with pure fertilizer products which they sell to unsuspecting farmers.

Police bust fake fertilizers gang

by Aaron B. Recuenco


Philippines – Police busted over the weekend a syndicate engaged in adulterating fertilizers in a series of raids on warehouses and farmhouses in Mindanao. Seized in the raids were thousands of sacks of fake ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, urea, muriate of potash, and monosodium sulfate salt. Director Samuel Pagdilao, head of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said separate operations were immediately launched after his men located the safehouses of the syndicate in several warehouses and farmhouses in Davao City, Kapalong and Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte; Pikit and Kabacan in North Cotabato, and Isulan, Sultan Kudarat. “These adulterated fertilizers are being eyed by authorities as the cause in the drastic decline of crops production in Mindanao,” said Pagdilao. The gang’s modus operandi, he said, is to mix salt to pure fertilizer products in order to increase the profit in the distribution of adulterated fertilizer products sold to farmers throughout Mindanao. Pagdilao said the suspected leader of the gang, Edgar Calledo, and seven of his workers were caught mixing, rescaling, and resacking of suspected adulterated fertilizer products inside a warehouse in Maa, Davao City.






Sultan Kudarat Hosts Peace Festival

by ALI G. MACABALANG


ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat – Various sectors in Mindanao are upbeat over signs of imminent forging of peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), lining up this early several activities they hope to help flesh out the age-old dream for lasting peace and meaningful co-existence among the now dominant Christian settlers and Muslim natives on the island.

Negotiating peace panels of the government and the MILF held their 26th round of formal exploratory talks in Malaysia recently, zeroing in on the substantive aspects of their respective formulas of ending the decades-old armed rebellion in the south, and expressing optimism for the forging of a final peace accord this year.

Both panels have been pursuing a consensus that such peace pact should emanate from workable ideas raised not only in their series of Malaysia-brokered peace negotiations but also from popular consultations with other stakeholders in Mindanao.

On such pretext, organizers from the dominant Christian populace and the ruling Muslim sector of the fast-growing province of Sultan Kudarat are all set to stage here today an interfaith peace blessing festival in pursuit of peace-building in southern Philippines.

"The event is a celebration of harmonious co-existence between races and religions promoting the common goal of attaining peace in Mindanao," leading organizers said in a statement sent to the Manila Bulletin Thursday night.

Sultan Kudarat officials including Governor Suharto Teng Mangudadatu, son of Sultan Pax Mangudadatu, Representative Raden Sakaluran, and Arnold Go said they are "proud" that their province is playing host to the unprecedented affair in collaboration with the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), an international non-government organization, affiliated with the United Nations’ in consultative status.

Organizers said the IPBF expects participants to discuss issues and steps on achieving peace in the region "with the family as its building block."

Citing various studies, they said, stable and loving families raise children that are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, engage in casual sex and commit crimes making the streets safer.

"Aside from peace accords resulting from the Mindanao peace process, thousands of national delegates and hundreds of international dignitaries advocate strong marriages and families believing that this action will serve as another stone at strengthening tranquility in the region," the organizers’ statement said.

Mangudadatu batted for the participation of everyone for the success of the IPBF’s goal, stressing that nation-building is an "obligation not only of the government but by the cooperation of the citizens it serve."

P50-M adulterated fertilizers seized

by (PNA)

FFC/AVE


SEVERAL truckloads of adulterated fertilizers, amounted to at least P50 million, were confiscated by authorities in simultaneous raids conducted in several areas in Mindanao on Thursday.

Elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group from the National Capital Region swooped down on several warehouses in Davao City, Davao del Norte, Pikit and Kabacan in North Cotabato, and Isulan, Sultan Kudarat and recovered several sacks of adulterated fertilizers.

In the warehouse of the Golden Century Company in Ma-a, Davao City, bags of urea fertilizers mixed with salt were confiscated by the authorities.

The same thing happened in warehouses in Sto. Tomas and Kapalong in Davao del Norte as well as in Pikit, Kabacan and Isulan.

Reports showed that the owner of Golden Century, one of those arrested distributors, admitted mixing fertilizers with salt for bigger profit.

In an interview in Iloilo City Thursday evening, Aileen Uy Gongco-Ongkauko, CEO of La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp., said they have started monitoring the illegal activities of adulterated fertilizer distributors for few months after receiving complaint from their clients.

She said their investigation revealed at least 10 of their distributors as behind the proliferation of adulterated fertilizers.

The businesswoman said they immediately coordinated with the authorities upon gathering enough evidence thus, simultaneous raids were conducted.

Ongkauko confirmed the 10 distributors have been distributing their fertilizer products for the past years now, but were illegally mixing them with salt.

She added that the erring distributors were also illegally manufacturing the company's fertilizer bags.

Ongkauko said they will be pursuing charges against their erring distributors to warn other distributors not to emulate the same activity.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 8293 or Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines are now being prepared against the arrested respondents.

La Filipina is involved in trading of feeds ingredients, fertilizers, sugar, vegetable oils, grains, wheat flour, and owner-operators of sugar mill, flour mills, animal feeds mills, livestock farms, cargo ships, hotels, housing projects, shopping mall, and bank.

Al-Khobar group tagged in foiled gas station bombing

by John Unson


COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Investigators on Thursday said that they are convinced the foiled bombing of a gas station in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat was a handiwork of the notorious Al-Khobar extortion ring.

It was due to the vigilance of businessman Roger Tabat, operator of the Sto. Niño Seaoil gas refilling station, that the supposed bombing of his establishment two days ago was preempted.

Tabat received text messages demanding protection money “to ensure” an undisrupted operation of his petroleum distribution facility.

After receiving the text messages, Tabat and his workers immediately inspected the surroundings of his establishment and found an improvised explosive device (IED) inside its restroom, which responding police and Army bomb experts promptly deactivated.

The IED was fashioned from a live B-40 anti-tank rocket rigged with a battery operated blasting mechanism attached to a mobile phone.

The Al-Khobar is known for bombing a establishment targeted for its extortion racket to intimidate its owner. Another attack would be pulled off, enough to cause a bigger damage, iof the business establishment would refuse to give in the group's extortion.






10 Region 12 colleges, universities to hike tuition fees

by (PNA)

FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Ten of the 26 colleges and universities in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region have set another round of increases in tuition and other related fees starting June, an official of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said. Dr. Eloisa Paderanga, CHED Region 12 director, said they were formally informed of the new fee increases based on documents submitted to their office by the concerned colleges and universities. Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. “We’re currently reviewing the submitted documents based on the guidelines set by the Commission,” Paderanga said. But she pointed out that CHED was not mandated to approve or disapprove the proposed fee increases that were submitted to their office. She said they were only tasked to receive and review the documents submitted by the colleges and universities to ensure that they complied with the requirements, among them the mandatory consultation, involving the new fee increases. “We don’t approve, we just acknowledge them because the (increase in) tuition fees are decided by the owners or the school themselves,” Paderanga said in an interview with a local television station. She did not cite any figure as to the proposed tuition fee increases set by the 10 colleges and universities but she said they were coordinating with them to ensure that the hike would be at the reasonable level. “If we find the increases as too high, we immediately ask their officials to reconsider and lower the rates to just around 10 percent,” Paderanga said. Last year, 20 colleges and universities in the region had raised their tuition fees by four to 10 percent to supposedly cover for the increase in the salaries of their personnel and finance the necessary improvements of their facilities. In January, the CHED central office issued a memorandum detailing the “"Enhanced Policies, Guidelines and Procedures Governing Increases in Tuition and Other School Fees, Introduction of New Fees, and for Other Purposes." The memo specifically laid out the consultation process and the requirements to be met by schools that intend to raise their tuition fees. It cited that 70 percent of the increase in tuition "should be allotted for the teaching and non-teaching personnel not necessarily an increase in personnel compensation." It set the creation of in every region of a Regional Multi-Sectoral Committee on Tuition Fee and Other Schools Fees (RMSCTOSF) to monitor the compliance of schools, colleges, and universities. A National Multi-Sectoral Committee was also formed to oversee the RMSCTOSFs.





10 Region 12 colleges, universities to hike tuition fees

by (PNA)

FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Ten of the 26 colleges and universities in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region have set another round of increases in tuition and other related fees starting June, an official of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said. Dr. Eloisa Paderanga, CHED Region 12 director, said they were formally informed of the new fee increases based on documents submitted to their office by the concerned colleges and universities. Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. “We’re currently reviewing the submitted documents based on the guidelines set by the Commission,” Paderanga said. But she pointed out that CHED was not mandated to approve or disapprove the proposed fee increases that were submitted to their office. She said they were only tasked to receive and review the documents submitted by the colleges and universities to ensure that they complied with the requirements, among them the mandatory consultation, involving the new fee increases. “We don’t approve, we just acknowledge them because the (increase in) tuition fees are decided by the owners or the school themselves,” Paderanga said in an interview with a local television station. She did not cite any figure as to the proposed tuition fee increases set by the 10 colleges and universities but she said they were coordinating with them to ensure that the hike would be at the reasonable level. “If we find the increases as too high, we immediately ask their officials to reconsider and lower the rates to just around 10 percent,” Paderanga said. Last year, 20 colleges and universities in the region had raised their tuition fees by four to 10 percent to supposedly cover for the increase in the salaries of their personnel and finance the necessary improvements of their facilities. In January, the CHED central office issued a memorandum detailing the “"Enhanced Policies, Guidelines and Procedures Governing Increases in Tuition and Other School Fees, Introduction of New Fees, and for Other Purposes." The memo specifically laid out the consultation process and the requirements to be met by schools that intend to raise their tuition fees. It cited that 70 percent of the increase in tuition "should be allotted for the teaching and non-teaching personnel not necessarily an increase in personnel compensation." It set the creation of in every region of a Regional Multi-Sectoral Committee on Tuition Fee and Other Schools Fees (RMSCTOSF) to monitor the compliance of schools, colleges, and universities. A National Multi-Sectoral Committee was also formed to oversee the RMSCTOSFs.

Anonymous text message leads cops to bomb in Kudarat gas station

by Edwin Fernandez

Inquirer Mindanao


COTABATO CITY, Philippines—A texter prevented what could have been a tragedy when he alerted the police about an improvised explosive device he discovered inside the rest room of a gas station in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat, the authorities said. Col. Prudencio Asto, regional Army spokesperson, said an unidentified person alerted the police via his mobile phone, about his find at about 5 p.m. Sunday. Bomb experts from the Sultan Kudarat police provincial office responded and disrupted (contained detonation) the explosive device. Police initially suspected the planting of IED was the handiwork of extortionists, but the gas station owner Roger Tabat said he has no known enemy nor has he received any extortion demand. After the IED was disrupted, bomb experts recovered the resulting broken mobile phone and fragments of a rocket-propelled grenade, the authorities said.

Cave Assessment

by mb.com.ph


KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- In a bid to conserve, protect and manage caves and cave resources in Soccsksargen region, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here conducted a two-day skills training on cave assessment.

The training held in Maitum town, Sarangani last March 15 and 16 was aimed at providing participants with knowledge and skills in the appraisal of caves to determine appropriate sustainable uses of caves. Participants included some 60 trainees from local government units in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, and Sarangani, and the DENR.






Skills Registry System gets welcome in Tacurong City

by (contributed by Allan Freno/Tacurong-LGU/DEDoguiles-PIA 12)


TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat, March 23 (PIA) -- Officials of all the 20 barangays of Tacurong, led by their respective chairpersons attended the one-day Skills Registration System orientation conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office 12 last February 28.

It is a nationwide manpower skills registration system which provides adequate and available supply of labor. DOLE is implementing the program in partnership with Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) of Local Government Units (LGU).

DOLE Sultan Kudarat Field Office organized the SRS orientation, which also signaled the launching of the program in Tacurong City. City Mayor Lina Montilla and Sangguniang Panglungsod Labor and Employment Committee Chairperson Benjamin Fajardo Jr. joined the participants in the activity.

DOLE 12 Director Chona Mantilla said SRS helps address unemployment by reducing the job search period and by increasing employability of workers and jobseekers looking for opportunities without really going through the tiring process of personally knocking at prospective employers’ doors.

Supervising Labor and Employment Officer Evelyn Libot of DOLE 12 emphasized the significance of the SRS to the barangays saying that jobseekers from these areas are the farthest from the radar of the employers.

“Through SRS, the government is bridging the gap between the jobseekers and the employers as well as address the problem of jobs mismatch,” Libot said.

She added that, in SRS, a job seeker’s qualifications are encoded in the software and uploaded to the PhilJob.net website for online perusal by employers.

Barangay Tina Chair Ma. Lourdes Bogador hopes that the SRS would truly address the problem of unemployment in her barangay.

“Since many of our skilled workers do not have access to computer and the internet, the SRS will be a great help for our unemployed constituents,” she said.

In line with the system’s launching here, DOLE 12 provided PESO-Tacurong City with one unit of desktop computer which will be used for encoding the jobseekers’ information using the SRS offline skills registration. The offline data will be sent to the DOLE for online posting using the PhilJobnet.

“You would not have provided complete tools to your partner if you do not want a guarantee for the success of the program. I’m convinced that the DOLE is serious and we need to give our commitment to the SRS program,” Mayor Montilla said.

Mayor Montilla, who personally received the computer supplemented the system with the hardware and software and encouraged the barangay officials to actively support SRS in their areas by enjoining all their constituents to register.

LGUS urged to observe risk reduction measures

by Bong S. Sarmiento


KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/21 March)—Local government units in Southwestern Mindanao must now give serious consideration to disaster mitigation and preparedness measures more than ever to avoid tragedies. This was the gist of the recent briefing here on calamity response and geo-hazard maps for LGUs conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Region 12. Buagas Sulaik, DILG regional director, urged the local chief executives to develop their respective calamity response protocols for the safety of their constituents. Specifically, he noted that the protocols should be harmonized with various sectors involved in disaster risk reduction and management. Sulaik said that with what happened to the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan last December, there should have been lessons learned. He was referring to tropical storm Sendong (international name: Washi), which wrought havoc that killed at least 1,200 people after devastating flash floods swept Northern Mindanao. Sulaik said that Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo has instructed the regional offices to issue weather advisories and calamity warnings to local chief executives. Weather advisories and calamity warnings from the DILG should not be ignored by LCEs even when sent through text message during the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning,” he said. In line with Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, Sulaik said that DILG-12 will also conduct a region-wide training in addressing calamity warnings and understanding area hazards and response for barangays. For his part, Jaime Flores, a geologist at the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 12, presented the various risks confronting the region using geo-hazard maps. “Awareness and comprehension of the hazard settings in the Region will help our LGUs [to prepare]”, he said. The MGB-12 has been distributing geo-hazard maps it started printing last January. Constancio Paye Jr., MGB-12 director, said they target to distribute the maps to all the 1,194 barangays in the region. Also called SOCCSKSARGEN Region, it covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. Paye said that villages considered high-risk to flooding and landslide will be the priority in the distribution list. “These maps are vital for each barangay in identifying flood- and landslide-prone areas, in the preparation of the disaster risk and reduction plans, and in identifying safe locations for evacuation,” he said. (Bong Sarmiento/MindaNews)

Army brigade hold outreach program in Tacurong City

by (PNA)

LDV/NYP/EOF


TACURONG CITY, March 21 (PNA) -- The military's 601st Infantry "Unifier" Brigade of the 6th Infantry Division based here has conducted an outreach program and tree planting activities ahead of the March 22 celebration of the 115th Philippine Army anniversary.

Led by Colonel Edmundo Pangilinan, 601st brigade commander, soldiers and infantrymen conducted social services and environmental programs aimed at helping Mother Earth regain its glory for the benefit of the generations to come.

Ahead of the nationwide PA Day, the 601st brigade conducted civic action program in partnership with Tacurong City Mayor Lina Montilla dubbed as "City Hall sa Barangay."

In Barangay Kalandagan, this city, the unarmed soldiers who are also doctors conducted medical and dental services to civilians on March 16.

On March 19, the teams from the Brigade and its line units, 33rd Infantry Battalion and Joint Task Force Talakudong led by Capt. Alex Escalante, brigade information officer, provided services and entertainment such as free haircut, circumcision and film showing.

The team of the Provincial Government of Sultan Kudarat provided medical and dental services, supplemental feeding to the children, agricultural services and band entertainment at Brgy. Calean, Tacurong City.

The Provincial Government of Sultan Kudarat under the leadership of Gov. Suharto Mangudadatu conducted the outreach program to deliver the basic services to the constituents.

On environmental protection, the Brigade together with its line units, has conducted a tree planting activity in collaboration with the Lutayan PNP, Barangay Officials and residents of Barangay Blingkong, Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat.

A total of 250 seedlings of mahogany were planted along the barangay road.

Colonel Pangilinan said the activities initiated by his brigade was part of the Army celebration and will be institutionalized in the brigade so soldiers will become active peace advocates and environmentalists as envisioned by 6th ID Division Commander Maj. Gen. Rey Ardo.





Japan grants 8 new projects worth P34M in Mindanao

by (PNA)

DCT/LDV/GJB


MANILA — Japanese Ambassador to Manila, Toshinao Urabe, is scheduled to sign on March 22 eight grants for socio-economic projects in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao, with major stakeholders in the region’s peace process witnessing the occasion. The Japanese embassy in Manila said this new package of assistance amounting to USD824,653 (about P34 million) forms part of Japan’s commitment to support peace and development efforts in the region. With the funds, four school buildings, two post-harvest facilities with agricultural equipment and a training center will be constructed and a hospital equipment installed. Secretary Teresita Deles, chair of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and Major General Dato Abdul Rahim Bin Mohd Yusuff, the Head of Mission of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) will be among the witnesses. The eight projects are the sixth batch of assistance under the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD) funded through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP). J-BIRD was launched in 2006 to pursue Japan’s commitment to the peace process between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Since its launching, Japan has already supported 58 grassroots projects amounting to a total US$ 4.7 million (about P243 million). The projects are located in the municipalities of Magpet, Alamada and Carmen in North Cotabato province, in Sultan sa Barongis, Sultan Kudarat and Pagalungan towns in Maguindanao province, and in barangays in Lanao del Sur province. The Japanese Government is a member of the IMT, with two Senior Advisors for Reconstruction and Development in the persons of socio-economic experts Naoyuki Ochiai and Kei Fukunaga. Japan is also a member of the International Contact Group (ICG), which performs such roles as giving advice to the parties concerned on the peace process and participating in peace talks as observers. In these contributions, the embassy said they exemplify Japan’s active role in the reconstruction and development of Mindanao. ”In this context, Japan strongly supports the efforts by all parties concerned to end the long-standing conflict in Mindanao through the peace process, and strongly hopes that peace talks between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will come up with negotiated and peaceful settlement to end the decades-long armed conflict and for the people to earn the dividends of peace,” the embassy said.

SMI donation

by Marvyn N. Benaning


Manila, Philippines – Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) has donated 100 chairs for a public high school in South Cotabato in response to a request for assistance from educators. The chairs were turned over to South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy recently for the use of the Tantangan National High School (TNHS) in Tantangan. A tree-planting activity to protect the environment was conducted before the handover rites last March 5, with SMI, the Department of Education (DepEd) in Region 12, the South Cotabato provincial government, and Mahintana Foundation participating. SMI said the 100 chairs are part of the company’s P2.6-million donation to the South Cotabato provincial government to support Pingoy’s campaign to address the chronic lack of classroom chairs in the province. The company will also donate more chairs to other schools in South Cotabato in the coming months. SMI is the contractor for the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project (TGCP), one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits. Its mining tenement straddles the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Davao del Sur, and Sarangani. Once it is operational, the TGCP will be the largest in the Philippines and among the biggest copper mines in the world. As part of the event, a total of 300 acacia and mangyum seedlings were also planted at TNHS by municipal councilors, teachers, parents, and students

4,000 athletes see action in 2012 CRAA meet

by William B. Depasupil, Reporter


GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Some 4,000 athletes from nine school divisions in Region 12 or the Socsksargen Region will see action in this year’s Cotabato Regional Athletic Association (CRAA) meet slated on March 18 to 21 at the South Cotabato Sports Complex in Koronadal City. Deborah Adrales, Department of Education (DepEd) Region 12 director, said the regional games will formally open on Sunday with the traditional parade of the participating delegation and kickoff program, which will be graced by DepEd Undersecretary Yolanda Quijano and top local officials in the area. Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. Adrales said most of the major events such as Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Football, Swimming and Volleyball will be played at the South Cotabato Sports Complex. She said the other playing venues are Mary Mount High School for Archery; Barangay Zone 2 gym for Arnis; Smash Avenue gym for Badminton; Barangay Zone 3 gym for Basketball-Elementary; Koronadal National Comprehensive High School grounds for Chess, Softball and Table Tennis; South Cotabato Cultural Gymnasium for Gymnastics; Barangay Zone 1 gym for Sepak Takraw and Sipa; and the Provincial Capitol gym for Volleyball-Elementary (Boys and Girls). The provincial government of South Cotabato earlier accepted the hosting of the regional games for the second consecutive year. South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. said they accepted DepEd’s offer to host the CRAA meet due to its advantage to local athletes as well as the benefits it would offer to the local economy and the business sector. “This is also one way of showing off the beauty of our province and also boost the morale of our athletes being the defending champions,” Pingoy said. The governor said the local government has spent around P1 million for the hosting of the event and the improvement of the South Cotabato Sports Complex’s facilities. (PNA)

Rebel atrocities claim two children’s lives

by William B. Depasupil, Reporter


TWO children, age six and five years old, were the recent victims of the communist New People’s Army’s (NPA) alleged atrocities and total disregard of the safety and welfare of innocent civilians, according to a military spokesman.


Captain Reylan Java, spokesman of the Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division (ID) identified the bomb explosion victims as Rodelyn Aguirre, 6, and her five-year old sister, Roda. Java said Rodelyn died on the spot while Roda was wounded.

The explosion occurred Sunday at the house of the Rodas in Brgy . Tacayan, Tapaz, Capiz, a known bailiwick of the leftist rebels.

Based on initial report, the explosion was caused by the lapses in the process of assembling of the improvised explosive device (IED) by the members of the NPA.

Reports reaching the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AF) high command in Camp Aguinaldo also showed that at least two unidentified members of the NPA were also seriously wounded during the explosion as revealed by the civilian witnesses.

Java further said that the IED is to be used by the rebels for their terrorist activities in Capiz and other parts of Panay.

Last February 20, the insurgents used IED to bomb the La Casa Transloading Station of Sugarcane Central in Brgy Mianay, Sigma, Capiz for failure to give in to their demand for money.

On August 2011, the NPA members also laid IED when they ambushed the army personnel belonging to the 61st Infantry Battalion in Brgy Switch, Tapaz, Capiz.

They also set up two IEDs near the Igcabugao Elementary School in Igbaras, Iloilo sometime March of 2010 but were recovered by army personnel conducting peace and development works.

Based on military record, a total of seven IEDs were recovered by the 82nd Infantry Battalion in various NPA encampments in Igbaras and Miagao, both in Iloilo province, on 2009.

Earlier, the AFP, through the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) peace negotiating panel, filed a complaint against the NPA’s continued use of IEDs and landmines in its operations in violation of the agreement signed by the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

The use of land mines and IED are prohibited under the Comprehensvie Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

The CARHRIHL is the first of four agreements in the substantive agenda of the peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDF.

Major General Jose Mabanta, Commander of the 3rd ID, based in Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz, appealed to the leadership of the NPA to spare the children from harm and stay away from the communities that choose to live in peace.

“The four decades of armed struggle have only brought senseless deaths and miseries to the lives of innocent civilians,” Mabanta stressed, adding that said social problems in our country can easily be solved in an environment of peace rather than through armed struggle.

In a related development, the military also reported that another IED explosion incident happened yesterday in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat causing injuries to ice drop vendor Raymundo Echona and damage to a passenger bus.

Brig. Gen. Manuel Luis Ochotorena, deputy commander and spokesman of the 6th ID, said that initial investigation the target of said bombing was the Rural Bus Co. for its refusal to give in to an extortion demand by a still unidentified group.

Ex-union brings upland folks water, sense of achievement

by Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper


THE work that they do makes the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (AIDFI) embody the view that there is “no other way but up.”

With the AIDFI’s hydraulic ram pump, a technology that can supply water to upland areas without the use of electricity, residents of far-flung villages in the Philippines have gained easier access to water.

The technology is not new, said AIDFI co-founder Auke Idzenga. But AIDFI made sure it was appropriate for Philippine upland communities.

“AIDFI made some modifications and perfected the technology, so to speak, to make it more suitable and cost-effective for local use. This enables communities to have an energy-efficient system for water supply,” shared Idzenga.

As of September 2011, AIDFI has installed 227 ram pumps, benefiting 184 places in Negros Occidental, Cebu, Panay, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato, and other provinces in the Philippines.

Long-term thinking

The locals form water associations with the assistance of AIDFI. They are also trained by AIDFI technicians to maintain the ram pumps entrusted to their care to ensure long-term benefit, said Idzenga. This way, the locals need not rely on AIDFI for certain technical problems involving the ram pumps.

AIDFI’s reach is not limited to the Philippines. It has also installed ram pumps and trained locals in Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nepal, Cambodia, Colombia, Peru, and Costa Rica.

AIDFI was formed in 1991 by four individuals who worked with sugar workers in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. The foundation was originally a labor union supporting sugar workers who were then recipients of the new agrarian reform program of the government.

Idzenga, originally from the Netherlands but married to a Negrense and a resident of the Philippines for more than 20 years, formed the foundation with sugar union organizer Leonidas Baterna and two development workers, Gina Veloria and Edmund Villorosa.

Their direct involvement with the farmers made them see poverty face to face. One of the many problems they observed was the inaccessibility of potable water and irrigation for rural upland communities.

Idzenga, a marine engineer, found a solution in the hydraulic ram pump.

Apart from the hydraulic ram pump, the foundation developed the treadle pump, hydro battery chargers, ferrocement technologies, biogas, solar heater, essential oil distiller, rice hull stove, rotary weeder, and rice hull carbonizer, among others.

Being able to produce these products is a far cry from the foundation’s humble beginnings in the early 1990s when it was in a constant struggle of looking for funds.

It took courage and patience to promote these technologies, specifically the ram pump, during a time when people did not listen much to small groups like AIDFI.

Its intention was noble but with little money and the death of Leonidas Baterna, one of its founders, the group felt they were shouting in the desert with no one out there listening.

And yet with the loss came a blessing.

Baterna’s daughter, Paz, joined the foundation. Paz served as the head of the AIDFI’s finance department. Paz safeguarded the foundation’s funds and ensured that the money was used according to plan.

About the same time, the group was able to gain financial support from Idzenga’s network and family. They were also able to obtain funding from organizations that support clean and indigenous technology.

It was a long and uphill climb but it was worth it because AIDFI was able to come up with breakthroughs in ram pump technology between 1998 and 2001. After perfecting the ram pump, they expanded into other technologies in 2003 to 2004 and ventured into ram pump installation in upland areas.

True to what it stood for since they started, AIDFI believes that poverty and hunger in the rural areas can be solved through land distribution, agricultural production support, and the use of renewable and cheap technologies.

People at the center

The battle cry has not changed, said Idzenga. But they have chosen to appropriately equip the organization with the necessary answers to address the issues they are fighting for.

“The center (of our work) is people. We organize communities to create ownership of the technology. (In areas where we installed ram pumps), we trained technicians to maintain the (ram pump) system,” he said.

Local government units, non-government organizations, development agencies, and philanthropists pay for the installation. AIDFI trains local people to maintain the system.

Households are organized into water associations, with each household paying P20 to P50 monthly. The money serves as reserve fund for parts and other maintenance costs.

“We keep in touch with the water association through mobile phones and we have Bantay Bukid teams who are constantly in touch with us,” said Idzenga.

AIDFI community organizer for ram pump projects Carlos Allones said they gave direct assistance to about 11 people’s organizations in Negros to organize them into water associations.

Stewardship

“When communities see that the technology really works and is able to provide for their basic need of water, it is natural for them to feel accountable for what they have and ensure that it is maintained. It was not difficult to convince them and draw their support,” said Allones.

Environmental stewardship is also embedded in the culture of AIDFI.

AIDFI insists on tree-planting whenever a ram pump is installed in a region where water supply is at risk due to deforestation.

AIDFI’s way of promoting renewable technology has not gone unnoticed.

Since 2006, the foundation has reaped several awards and recognitions.

These are the Green E-Award of the Department of Energy (December 2006), Ashden Awards from former US Vice President Al Gore (June 2007), Energy Globe Awards of the European Parliament (2008), Community Initiative Category of the Energy Institute Awards (2010), commendations from the Philippine House of Representatives and Senate (2010), BBC World Challenge (2010), and, recently, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards for Outstanding Institution (2011).

With these achievements come the challenge to reach more communities in need of water and to develop more programs that will benefit the poor, said Idzenga.

Lemon grass

A technology-based program that AIDFI also embarked on with two upland barangays in Negros is lemon grass oil extraction and production.

The program is implemented with funding support from GIZ (German International Cooperation, formed from the merger of GTZ or Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit, DED or Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst, and InWent).

More than 50 farmers from Barangays Mambugsay and Escalante are growing organic lemon grass in their land, providing them steady income since 2006. This essential oil is sold to another company to be used in their products.

Idzenga said lemon grass only takes two months to grow with fewer inputs compared to sugar cane (which takes about six to seven months to grow). With this, the farmers have additional income between P1,000 and P7,000, enabling them to send their children to school.

Branching out

“We are in a constant process of perfecting our technologies to ensure that the most appropriate technologies are given to those in need. Even without outside funding, we have invested in research and development to attain the best results,” he said.

Moving forward, AIDFI will venture into the installation of 60 ram pumps in six countries within three years in partnership with Green Empowerment.

For AIDFI, trust can be built when interventions extended are based on real needs of people. With the ram pumps, water has been supplied to many rural communities in remote areas. Many poor communities are supplied with a continuous flow of hope that life can be better.

Indeed, there is no other way but up.

Power outages in Mindanao worse next month

by Allen V. Estabillo


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/06 March) – The continuing daily rotating brownouts here and other areas in Mindanao are seen to worsen by next month reportedly due to another round of maintenance works set by the National Power Corporation (NPC) on the Pulangi hydro power plants in Bukidnon. Engr. Santiago Tudio, general manager of the South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative (Socoteco I), said Tuesday they received a notice from the NPC that it would shut down the combined 150-megawatt (MW) Pulangi plants by April to pave the way for their scheduled preventive maintenance and river desilting operations. He said they were still waiting for the final notice about the matter from the NPC and power transmission firm National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) but said they were informed in advance to allow them to prepare and properly inform their power consumers. “The 150-MW supply cut will be pro-rated to all electric cooperatives in Mindanao so it means we’ll have extended rotating brownouts by then,” Tudio said. Socoteco I has been implementing hour-long rotating brownouts within its service area, which covers Koronadal City and the municipalities of Tampakan, Banga, Tantangan, Norala, Surallah, Banga, Sto. Nino, T’boli and Lake Sebu in South Cotabato; and, Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat. This city, the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato is served by Socoteco II, which implemented periodic rotating brownouts lasting about an hour since January. Tudio said that they implemented the rotating brownouts due to the power supply cuts imposed by the NPC and NGCP as a result of Mindanao’s worsening power supply deficit. Based on the power situation outlook released by NGCP Tuesday morning, the island’s power deficit is presently at 154 MW based on the total system capacity of 1,099 MW and the peak power demand of 1,253 MW. But Tudio said they received a separate notice from the NGCP and NPC that Mindanao’s power deficit for Tuesday has reached 240 MW and is expected to increase to 300 MW during the peak hours. Due to the power deficit, he said the NPC was only able to supply 25 MW to their service area out of their contracted supply of 31 MW. He said the situation was even worse in the Socoteco II area, which earlier lost 30 percent of its power requirements or around 30 MW. “But we’re not much affected yet in terms of the rotating brownouts when compared to the almost half-day outages in other areas because of the supply augmentation from Therma Marine,” Tudio said. He was referring to the separate contracts forged last year by both Socoteco I and II with the Aboitiz-owned Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) for a standby supply of 4 MW and 18 MW, respectively. “But overall, our situation is very volatile because of the unstable condition of NPC’s hydro power plants so our group (Mindanao electric cooperatives) is continually working with the DOE (Department of Energy) to find other alternative power sources for us here,” he said. In a meeting in Manila last Feb. 24 to 25, Tudio said Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras informed them that the government will immediately send to Mindanao the two power barges presently stationed at the Navotas port in Manila to help offset the area’s power shortage. The power barges reportedly have a capacity of 40 to 50 MW each, he added. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)

Operatives bust city’s drug dens

by goldstardailynews.com


TACURONG City--A joint operation of Sultan Kudarat Police Provincial Office and Tacurong City Police had busted two drug dens operating in the city at Malvar Extension, Tacurong City on March 1. By virtue of the search warrants issued by Judge Hope Precious Nectar G. Mamon of the City Circuit Trial Court the operatives swoop to the suspects' lair. In the first operation; one Ernesto Caoile, Jr., of legal age, married was nabbed and on the process of search an estimated 25 grams of suspected methamphetamine Hydrochloride locally known as shabu and a dried marijuana leaves weighing 32 grams were recovered.

Police also found one (1) caliber .45 pistol with two (2) magazines full of ammunitions, one (1) caliber .38 revolver with eight (8) ammunitions, marked money at 3 thousand pesos in 5 hundred peso bill, another cash money amounting to 2 thousand pesos was recovered and believe to be the proceeds of illegal transaction and one television set attached to a CCTV camera. On the second operation, suspect identified as Ramil Raquenio was able to escape but four (4) sachets of suspected "shabu" were taken in the process of search. The seach operation were witnessed by the presence of Poblacion Barangay Chairman Antonio Yusay, Kagawad Casama and two (2) local media practitioners. The suspects were both charge for violation of Section 11 of the Republic Act 9265 or the Dangerous Drugs Act. ROSE MUNEZA

Comelec chief wants village officials appointed, not elected

by Charlie C. Señase


COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes would rather have barangay or village officials appointed instead of elected. “It is not only cumbersome and expensive, it’s truly problematic in the Commission,” said Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes. The veteran election lawyer, who was here recently for the launching of the ARMM Electoral Reform Summit, said, “the exercise is not only expensive but so problematic. In fact, we still have so many unresolved barangay election cases pending at the office.” Brillantes did not say how much would be needed to hold village polls, which have been scheduled for October 2013. “If I were to decide, it would be more convenient and reasonable that officials in the barangays are appointed,” said Brillantes whose proposal the poll body would endorse to Congress and Malacañang. There were mixed reactions to the Brillantes move, but majority of elected incumbents appeared to be supportive of the idea. “When carried out, it will enhance smoother implementation of programs since the appointees are trusted allies of the appointing authority,” said Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu. Sultan Kudarat town Mayor Tocao Mastura looked at the Comelec proposal differently, saying it might be favorable to the governor or mayor appointing his choice of village officials, but if majority of the villagers therein were opposed, “it kills the democratic process by depriving villagers of their rights to choose.” “Personally, this is good for me as the incumbent mayor, but we should respect the constituents. We should listen to them, for we believe that the voice of the people is the voice of God,” said Mastura, Liberal Party provincial chairman.





ONB eyes 5 branches of Iloilo-based bank

by Nelson C. Bagaforo


AS PART of its expansion program this year, Davao City-based One Network Bank (ONB) is talking with the management of a rural bank based in Iloilo for possible acquisition of, or merger with five of its branches.

ONB president Alex Buenaventura said these rural banks are not "depleted but profitable rural banks." He refused to name the bank while negotiations are still going on.

The targeted branch areas are Iznart in the commercial center in Iloilo City, and the towns of Sta. Barbara, Oton, Tigbauan and Miag-ao.

"We are still talking. This will be our first expansion in the Visayas," he said in an interview Thursday afternoon.

He said the mode of expansion has remained uncertain until such time negotiation with the Ilioilo City-based bank is completed.

"The acquisition and merger, di pa talaga finalized. But we really have to expand in the area. I will know in months time kung ano ang final vote," Buenaventura said, adding that ONB expansion in the area could either be through acquisition/merger or application for five new branch licenses from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

"But we are now in the homestretch of the negotiation. The remaining issue to be resolved is how much," he added.

BSP only allows rural and commercial banks to establish five new branches at a time.

"We are pushing for the acquisition because if we successfully do that, we can apply for five new branch licenses from BSP for Mindanao," he said.

He said if the acquisition will not push through, they have to apply for new licenses for five new regular branches that will be set up in Iloilo.

"Our expansion in Iloilo is already final. So we will set up new branches there by this year. If acquisition won't push through, we will let go of our branch expansion in Mindanao," he said.

Buenaventura said ONB can apply for new licenses as soon it is done with the setting up of five new branches granted by the BSP last year.

"We already opened the three new branches. The remaining two will be opened in April. After that we can apply for another five," he said.

He was referring to ONB new branches in Makati City, the first outside of Mindanao, Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat and Balingasag in Misamis Oirental.

The two other branches that will be opened next month are in Sangali in Zamboanga and Butuan.


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