Sultan Kudarat Province News March 2012

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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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