Zamboanga City News August 2013

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Zamboanga City - Archived News

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.
Limpapa Beach.JPG
Limpapa Beach

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.

Peace and security summit preparation underway

By Bong Garcia

ZAMBOANGA City is now preparing for the hosting of the Zamboanga Peninsula-Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (Zampen-Basulta) peace and security summit on September.

The organizers, who are members of the Technical Working Group (TWG), met Thursday for the second time to set mechanisms for the summit, which is scheduled to be held either on the first or second week of September.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) supervises the TWG.

The peace and security summit was proposed by Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar during an inter-agency meeting last August 13 which was attended by Executive Sec. Paquito Ochoa and Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin.

The summit will be participated by military, police, local chief executives and other officials from Zampen-Basulta areas to discuss the prevailing peace and security issues.

The proposed topics for discussion during the summit are gun ban, kidnap-for-ransom-groups, gun for hire, smuggling of rice and other contraband items, illegal drugs, among others.

Invited to the summit are DILG Sec. Manuel Roxas II and other top national government officials including Ochoa and Gazmin.

A covenant signing by the participants will be the highlight of the summit.

Zambo City officials sign “One Zamboanga City” pact

By Jocelyn P. Alvarez (PIA9)

ZAMBOANGA CITY - To acknowledge the need to address the urgent development and governance challenges of the city, the city officials recently signed a social contract for “One Zamboanga City”.

Public Information Officer-City Mayor’s Office (PIO-CMO) Belen Covarrubias said the social contract provides the framework for the city’s roadmap of development in the next three years.

Covarrubias said the social contract is geared toward addressing development and governance challenges through the collective and collaborative efforts of the leaders and the full participation of the citizenry.

“The signed covenant affirms the commitment of the local officials to continue the process of completing the Executive and Legislative Agenda (ELA) and other equally important initiatives and plans to bring Zamboanga City to a progressive state,” Covarrubias stressed.

“The covenant highlights the desire of all city officials to transcend personal, political and ideological interests and come out as one, united, transparent and constituency-driven government,” she added.

The said social contract signing was led by Mayor Beng Climaco, Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde and the members of the city council during the recently concluded three-day intensive ELA training at the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) in Tagaytay City.

The training is a certificate course on Strategic Management in Local Governance discussing topics on Bridging Leadership, Challenges of Governance and Development and ELA formulation.

SK federation hosts HIV-AIDS info drive in Zambo

(PNA), PDS/TPGJR/FELINO M. SANTOS/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 29 (PNA) --The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation on Wednesday hosted a convention on the prevention of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS) aimed to help stop the increase of cases.

Councilor Joana Marie Mas, the SK federation president, said that more than 300 students from local secondary and colleges, both private and public, have attended the convention.

Mas said they initiated the convention in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) regional office, City Health Office and United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) as reports showed that the dreaded disease has already reached epidemic level in the country.

City Health Officer Dr. Rodelin Agbulos said national statistics records showed that there were 11,702 HIV-AIDS cases recorded from 1984 to 2012. There were 3,338 cases in 2012 alone.

Agbulos said that 10,534 of the cases are asymptomatic or do not manifest any symptoms.

About 353 patients have died from the disease from 1995 to present.

Mas said the convention included talks by experts on ways to avoid the disease, how this is acquired and ways to alleviate the condition of those already afflicted with the disease.

Mas said the resource speakers also discussed cases of teenage pregnancies and pre-marital sex during the convention.

Senior citizens advised to be ready with OSCA IDs, other documents to get 20% discount

By Dominic I. Sanchez (PIA9)

ZAMBOANGA CITY - To avoid any inconveniences when availing of the 20 percent discount from pharmacies, senior citizens are advised to bring with them the purchase booklet with their OSCA identification card and the doctor’s prescription, or, if they are incapacitated and cannot personally purchase medicines, an authorization letter for their representative.

In an interview, Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) center head Nelinda Saipudin reiterated that pharmacies and drugstores are mandated by law to comply with the discount, however, senior citizens should be prepared with the necessary documents required of them.

“The discount is for senior citizens only, but sometimes, other persons may take advantage of this to buy medicine not necessarily intended for the elderly using the OSCA ID,” said Ms. Saipudin.

She furthered that the law also provides for a five percent discount on basic commodities such as, but not limited to rice, corn, bread, fish, meat; and prime commodities like fruits, dairy products, noodles, onion, garlic and others. The complete list of items is stipulated in the new Senior Citizens’ Purchase Slip, which the OSCA will release soon. Meanwhile, the purchase should not exceed P1,300 in a week.

However, Ms. Saipudin clarified that only stores and supermarkets with a capitalization of over P100,000 are mandated to comply with the five percent discount. Sari-sari stores, food courts, and flea markets are excluded.

In addition, the OSCA head said that she had already spoke with retailers and pharmacies in the city to honor only commodity purchase slips with an OSCA stamp, which can be secured at their office. Also, for those senior citizens who have already filled up their old medicine purchase booklet, they may simply get their doctor’s prescription stamped at the OSCA for them to be honored with the discount in pharmacies and drugstores.

“We have to take these necessary measures to prevent non-senior citizens from taking advantage and abusing the discounts,” she said.

However, in the event when pharmacies and business establishments still do not grant the discount in spite of having all the necessary documents, Ms. Saipudin invited the senior citizens to bring their complaints at the OSCA.

Earlier this month, Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Isabelle G. Climaco-Salazar issued an executive order mandating all pharmacies and drugstores to seriously comply with the provisions of the law with regard to granting the discount. The OSCA, PWD Affairs office, and the City Social Welfare and Development Office are tasked to strictly monitor pharmacies, drugstores and other business establishments in the city.

Republic Act 9994 provides that establishments that do not comply with the discount may be imprisoned for not less than two years with a fine not less than P50,000 for the first violation.

Zambo City’s anti-TB advocacy is model in Thailand confab

(PNA), FFC/TPGJR/PR/EBP

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 27 (PNA) -- This city’s efforts in combating tuberculosis (TB) continue to make strides not only in terms of attaining its goals on the local target sector but also in terms of how other institutions--local and international, view its impact.

Just recently, the Network Conference on Health, a worldwide organization, has chosen this city’s abstract on TB prevention and control to be one of the few models of good practices to be presented during a gathering of world anti-TB advocates in Ayutthaya, Thailand on November 15, this year.

City Health Officer Rodelin Agbulos said this city’s abstract has been chosen from among the numerous models from all over the country submitted for the selection.

“We are now reaping the fruits of our labor,” Agbulos said as he thanked and commended the Zamboanga Hermosa TB Council and the City Health Office staff for the noteworthy efforts.

He said it will be a big honor for this city to be made as a model in the anti-TB drive in the worldwide event.

This city’s partners in the anti-TB drive are the Department of Health (DOH) and Rotary Clubs, Zamboanga Hermosa TB Council to include the ParLinking Initiatives and Networking to Control TB (TB-LINC), World Vision-Social Mobilization on TB (SMT), Philippine Coalition Against Tuberculosis (Philcat), Zamboanga Coalition Against Tuberculosis (ZAMCAT), TB Task Force Zamboanga and AGAPE Human Development Foundation Inc. and TB champions from the various districts of this city.

Because of the aggressive anti-TB initiatives, TB in Zamboanga has slid to the 16th place in the morbidity list from the previous 7th place and number seven in the mortality rate compared to before when it was number four.

Early this month, the CHO, Rotary Clubs and other partner agencies organized the “Walk, Run and Bike” an anti-TB event highlighting the observance of Lung Month. Some 8,000 people participated in the event.

The 2013 Lung Month celebration is themed “Tuldokan ang TB, Ikalat ang Tamang Impormasyon Hindi and Diskriminasyon,” which focuses on the mitigation of tuberculosis (Tubercle Bacillus), a common infectious disease caused by strains of mycobacteria that usually attack the lungs of victims.

POEA launches anti-illegal recruitment, anti-human trafficking campaign in Zambo City

(PNA), PDS/TEOFILO P. GARCIA, JR./NOD

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 26 (PNA) -–The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has kicked off Monday the agency’s four-day anti-illegal recruitment and anti-human trafficking campaign in this southern port city.

The activities, which ends on Thursday, will be a simultaneous public information and capacity building that would include the following: Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS); Anti-Illegal Recruitment (AIR) and Trafficking in Persons (TIP) seminars; Capacity Enhancement Trainings (CET); and, POEA on Wheels.

The AIR-TIP and CET will be for law enforcers and prosecutors, Public Employment Service Office (PESO) managers, non-government organizations (NGOs), academe and barangay officials from all over the region.

The trainings will enhance their knowledge of anti-illegal recruitment and anti-trafficking in persons laws including the modus operandi of recruiters and traffickers, with the end of strengthening investigation and prosecution of cases and improving of assistance to victims.

Resource persons from Manila will also conduct PEOS to educate students of Western Mindanao State University (WMSU), Universidad de Zamboanga (UZ) and Southern City Colleges (SCC) about overseas employment, the legal modes of migration and the challenges and risks in overseas employment.

“It is aimed to educate the public on overseas employment should they desire to go abroad,” POEA Licensing and Regulation Office Director Atty. Robert Larga said in a press conference Monday.

The POEA on Wheels, the newest pre-employment orientation campaign event, will be held from Monday until Thursday at Plaza del Pilar. It is open to the public and free of charge.

Larga said there will be also jobs fair, free legal assistance and e-registration for overseas employment applicants at Plaza del Pilar.

The highlight of the four-day campaign is the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by POEA and other agencies attached to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with a number of local government units (LGUs) from the region as well as several universities.

The MOU seeks to seal partnerships to prevent recruitment malpractices and protect the rights of would-be migrant workers in the region.

“There is no better way to fight any menace in the society than to equip every individual with critical information for their own protection,” POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said in a statement.

Zamboanga City health office to conduct HIV-AIDS check on inmates

(PNA), LAM/TPGJR/FMSANTOS/JSD

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 24 (PNA) -- The City Council has authorized, through a resolution, the City Health Office (CHO) to conduct regular medical checkups for Human Immuno Deficiency Virus–Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS) to some 1,150 detainees at the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center (ZCRC).

Councilor Juan Climaco Elago, II said the resolution approved last Wednesday will provide health authorities with a formal mandate to conduct medical check-ups to ensure the inmates are free from any kind of communicable diseases to include the dreaded HIV-AIDS.

Elago said health authorities have declined to conduct HIV-AIDS examination at the ZCRC for fear they might be accused of human right violations.

Elago said the HIV-AIDS tests will actually be advantageous for the inmates as well as their families since some of them, especially those married, are allowed to have conjugal visitation.

HIV-AIDS is classified as sexually transmitted disease, and Elago said detention centers are places where there exists “some unhealthy sexual relationships” among detainees that could spread the disease.

Elago said the tests for HIV/AIDS should be done before the detainee is admitted at the detention center and should be conducted every six months while in detention and before release.

PAGASA builds P110-M Doppler Radar Station in Zambo

(PNA), PDS/TPGJR/FELINO M. SANTOS/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 23 (PNA) -– The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) will start next week the construction of the P110-million Doppler Radar C-Band Station in this city.

Local PAGASA Meteorological Chief Maribel Enriquez said that engineers from the weather bureau's central office will arrive in this city next week to supervise the initial works of the project.

It will be constructed inside the camp of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM).

Enriquez said the construction of the facility, the third to be established in Mindanao, is set to be completed within this year.

The other two similar facilities are located in Cotabato and Surigao.

Enriquez said the Doppler Radar C-Band Station will be helpful in providing accurate weather forecast here in the region.

Zambo City plans to build evacuation centers for calamity victims

(PNA), PDS/TPGJR/FELINO M. SANTOS/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 22 (PNA) -–The City Engineer’s Office is scouting for two suitable sites to establish evacuation centers in each of the two congressional districts of this city.

City Engineer Luis Despalo said the evacuation centers to be established using the available materials from his office will serve as the temporary shelters for calamity victims.

Despalo said they will scout for two elevated areas -one each in the two congressional districts - where to construct the evacuation centers.

The first district comprises of 37 barangays while the second district comprises of 61 barangays including eight island barangays.

Despalo said the proposed evacuation centers would comprise of an open sleeping quarters with kitchen that would cater to the needs of the victims of calamity like typhoons.

Despalo that the two congressmen could also provide funds for the construction of the two evacuation centers aside from the materials available in his office.

Usually, victims of calamity, like flood, utilize the schools in their community as evacuation centers.

However, it was observed that some of the schools were also underwater during the recent flood that hit this city.

Zamboanga City gov’t finalizes 2014 budget

(PNA), LAP/TPGJR/FELINO M. SANTOS/NOD

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 21 (PNA) -- Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar and the different city government department heads are finalizing a P2.169-billion budget for 2014 to be submitted to the City Council for approval.

Salazar said a greater portion of the budget will be for health and infrastructure projects.

Each of this city’s 98 barangays will receive a P4 to P10 million grant for 10 projects that they must prioritize and which will also be approved by the City Council.

Salazar said the actual amount to be given to the barangays will depend on the projects they have listed as priority.

The department heads of the city government attended marathon hearings from August 14-16 and August 19 to finalize the budget for next year.

School officials were also invited to attend the budget hearings.

Meanwhile, Councilor Rogelio Valesco, chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Appropriations, said also included in next year’s budget is appropriation of funds to repair some 40 school buildings, which were found to be defective.


Zambo City Ecozone and Freeport announces 14 job vacancies

By Dominic I. Sanchez (PIA9)

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority (Zambo Ecozone and Freeport) recently announced the vacancy of 14 different positions to be filled up within the year.

In a notice of vacancies posted Aug. 16 on their official website, Zambo Ecozone enumerated the following positions: bookkeeper, records officer, stenographer, budget officer, draftsman, communications equipment operator, attorney, information officer, services officer, information systems analyst, planning officer, research analyst, cashier, and credit officer.

All applicants to said positions must have the required eligibilities (Civil Service 1st or 2nd level), or license to be eligible for screening.

The interested applicants must submit the following: four sets of application letters (indicating the position desired) with the following attachments – CSC eligibility, filled-up Personal Data Sheet (CSC Form 212), credentials and other pertinent documents to support education, training hours, years of experience as per the minimum qualifications set by the Civil Service Commission.

The application must be addressed to The Chairman, Personnel Selection Board, Zamboanga Free Port Authority, San Ramon, Zamboanga City through the PSB Secretariat, Human Resource Management Section, Administrative Division on or before Sept. 3, 2013.

For more information on the educational, training and other requirements of the positions to be applied for, interested parties may log on to www.zambofreeport.com.ph.

The Zambo Ecozone and Freeport was created through Republic Act 7903 authored by the late Congresswoman Ma. Clara Lobregat. It was enacted on February 23, 1995 and one year later, it was made operational with the appointment of a chairman and administrator and members of the board by former president Fidel Ramos. Zambo Ecozone is a means to attract investors, local and foreign, generate local employment opportunities and encourage the regional dispersal of industries. The law calls for Zambo Ecozone to be “developed into a decentralized, self-reliant and self-sustaining agro-industrial, commercial, financial, investment and tourism center and Freeport with suitable retirement and residential areas”.

National Organic Agriculture Board identifies 10 pilot areas for organic farming in Zambo Peninsula

(PNA), JS/TPGJR/FELINO M. SANTOS/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 19 (PNA) - - The National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB) has identified 10 agricultural farms as pilot areas for Organic Agriculture (OA) here in Zamboanga Peninsula.

The 10 farms that are proponents of the Organic Agriculture Program practicing organic farming were recently visited and inspected by representatives of the NOAB, the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standard (BAFPS), and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).

“Bringing back organic farming in this region is not impossible because the heart of the people here is already organic,” NAOB member Emalyn Legal said following the recent inspection of the agricultural areas.

The proponents for organic agriculture farming are Jose Rizal Memorial State University in Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte; Paglinawan’s Organic Farm, Dumingag, Zamboanga Del Sur; Miligan Organic Farm, Molave, Zamboanga Del Sur; Ace Agri Farm, Kagawasan, Pagadian City; Organic Swine Production, Dumalinao, Zamboanga Del Sur; Betinan Reasearch Station, Zamboanga Del Sur; Sibugay Valley Organic Farmers Producers Association; Dominican Sisters’ Farm, Culianan Zamboanga City; San Ramon Techno Demo Farm, Talisayan, Zamboanga City; and, Vista Del Mar Organic Garden, Upper Calarian, Zamboanga City.

The inspection team is composed of representatives from NOAB - Emalyn Legal and Dr. Jose Balaoing; BAFPS’ Tess Dimaculangan and Jude Auditor; PhilMech’s Don David Julian and Clavel Olito and Pricilla C. Jover, the focal person for organic agriculture program (OAP) of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Organic Agriculture Program team.

NOAB is the policy-making body that provides direction and guidelines for the implementation of the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP).

NOAP envisions the organic agriculture sector contributing to the over-all agriculture growth and development of the country in terms of sustainability, competitiveness and food security. It eyes at least five percent of Philippine agricultural farm to be converted into organic farming by 2016.

Police intercept another big illegal rice shipment

By Dan Toribio Jr.

Another suspected illegal shipment of rice was intercepted by the police last Thursday night.

Policemen swooped down on the local wharf after receiving a report that several sacks of rice believed to be smuggled had just loaded into 10 cargo trucks from a vessel.

When the police arrived, they spotted the 10 trucks carrying sacks of rice of 25 kilograms each ready to leave the pier.

During investigation, lawmen found out that the sacks of rice are owned by Madzur Tulawie y Kalon, 31, married, of Flamingo, Sinunuc.

Police said that a total of 2,943 sacks of rice of 25 kilograms each were recovered from the 10 cargo trucks.

It was learned that the illegal shipment of rice came from Jolo aboard M/L Alkusal.

Police said the owner of the sacks of rice could not present any pertinent papers legalizing its shipment.

The seized rice shipment was turned over to the Bureau of Customs while the vessel was placed under the custody of the Philippine Coast Guard Zamboanga.

Phivolcs, OCD conduct inventory of Zambo bridges

(PNA), HBC/TPG/FELINO M. SANTOS/JSD

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 17 (PNA) -– The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and Office for Civil Defense are conducting an inventory of bridges linking the city’s 98 barangays to find alternate routes of evacuation in cases of calamities.

This move is being taken in view of recent floods in this city that isolated some barangays for lack of alternate routes to and from a certain community.

The bridges are links needed to cross on rivers to ferry relief goods and assistance to flood or calamity-affected communities.

A case in point was the flooding of the Labuan River last week that prevented commuters from crossing a spillway or water-level bridge.

Philvocs Regional Director Engr. Allan Labayog said the inventory of bridges in this city will be useful in calamities particularly when some bridges are flooded and destroyed.

Labayog said the study is just in its initial stages and the information gathered will be relayed to proper agencies involved in disaster preparedness and relief operations.

Labayog said this inventory of bridges in this city will help in the evacuation of people in times of calamities.

This will be of greater help to government agencies so they will know how to access certain calamity areas in the city when main roads and bridges are destroyed and flooded, he said.

Region 9 to play key role in National Organic Agriculture Program

(PNA), LAM/TPG/DA-9/PR/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 16 (PNA) -– Region 9 could play a key role in the implementation of the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP) which aims to convert five percent of the country's agricultural area into organic farms by 2016.

“Bringing back organic farming in this region is not impossible because the heart of the people here is already organic,” said Emalyn Legal, one of the members of the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB).

The NOAB has recently conducted site inspection of organic farms here in the Zamboanga Peninsula area.

A total of 10 farms which are proponents of the organic agriculture program were visited and inspected by the NOAB, Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standard (BAFPS), and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).

Proponents were the Jose Rizal Memorial State University in Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte; Paglinawan’s Organic Farm in Dumingag, Zamboanga Del Sur; Miligan Organic Farm in Molave, Zamboanga Del Sur; Ace Agri Farm in Kagawasan, Pagadian City; Organic Swine Production in Dumalinao, Zamboanga Del Sur; Betinan Research Station in Zamboanga Del Sur; Sibugay Valley Organic Farmers Producers Association; Dominican Sisters’ Farm in Culianan, Zamboanga City; San Ramon Techno Demo Farm in Talisayan, Zamboanga City; and the Vista Del Mar Organic Garden in Upper Calarian district here.

Aside from Legal, the inspection team is composed of Dr. Jose Balaoing, another representative from NOAB; Tess Dimaculangan and Jude Auditor from BAFPS; Don David Julian and Clavel Olito of PhilMech; and the organic agriculture program team of the Department of Agriculture (DA) headed by regional focal person Priscilla Jover.

NOAB is the policy-making body that provides direction and guidelines for the implementation of the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP).

The NOAP envisions the organic agriculture sector contributing to the over-all agriculture growth and development of the country in terms of sustainability, competitiveness and food security, where at least five percent of Philippine agricultural area will be converted into organic farms in 2016.

Joie Faustino, the Planning Development Officer and representative from the office of DA Undersecretary Bernadette Puyat, stressed that it is possible in the region to achieve the five percent target before 2016 because many residents are already into organic farming.

Jover explained to farmers that shifting to organic farming may be difficult in the first stage but the effect it brings is lifetime.

“In organic farming, we are not after of the profit but of the good effect it gives us. We are not saving ourselves here but the life of the soil where we plant our livelihood and where our plants depend to live,” said Balaoing, also a professor at Benguet State University.

Under the law, Balaoing said organic agriculture should be included in the curriculum in elementary, high school and college.

If and when organic agriculture is fully implemented and duly practiced, Balaoing said the environment would be better enjoyed and offer more for the next generation.

DTI 9 opens shared service facilities; 9 beneficiaries get P3.268 M

By Michael Vincent D. Cajulao (FPG/MVC/PIA9, ZBST)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 15 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-9 officially launched its flagship project called the Shared Service Facilities (SSF) yesterday with nine cooperative beneficiaries from the city receiving P3.268-million worth of assistance.

DTI-9 Regional Director Nazrullah B. Manzur said the primary goal of the program is to help micro, small, and medium enterprises to improve their businesses.

“This is the first time that we are doing this. This is to enhance the capability of the organization to produce quality products or deliver quality service,” Manzur said.

Aside from the said assistance, the DTI is also helping micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in terms of trainings, product development, marketing and others.

The program aims to address gaps in the value chain of priority clusters by providing processing or manufacturing equipments, tools and machinery.

DTI turned-over the facilities to their nine pilot cooperative beneficiaries in a simple ceremony attended by its members, with Zamboanga City Urban Poor Home Owners Association, which is into slipper-making receiving the biggest amount of assistance worth P633,000 of facilities. Three cooperatives, all into abaca production and fiber processing, received P761,000 in the form of portable abaca stripping machines and other devices.

Three women’s organizations were also beneficiaries of the SSF which received cooking tools and equipments, sewing machines and fabricated working tables, chest freezer, stainless steel working table, and bangus deboning equipment, with a combined amount of P989,280.

The other two beneficiaries were the Agape Human Dev’t Foundation receiving P423,000-worth of equipments for their handicraft business and the Mapzacara MP Cooperative which is into coco sugar processing, receiving P365,000-worth of facilities.

DTI-Zamboanga City Provincial Director Rolando Acuña said there are still 16 other cooperatives or groups that will be extended the same assistance before the year ends.

“In Zamboanga City alone, we are targeting 25 beneficiaries for the SSF. We will meet this target before the end of this year,” Acuña said.

Acuña said unlike other government-initiated assistance to MSMEs, SSF is free.

“We are extending this assistance for free. All we are asking is for all the beneficiaries to take good care of it, put these into proper use and make sure that it will help you improve your business. This is your counterpart,” he explained.

However, Acuña said DTI has the right to take back the equipments if the beneficiaries fail to use it properly.

DTI-9 is targeting 67 SSF projects all over Region 9 with an allocation of P27 million.

“There will also be the same activities that we will be conducting in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay in the coming days. We have an initial budget of P27 million for this year,” Director Manzur said.

Manzur added that next year, more would-be-beneficiaries can avail of the program as “next year’s budget will be almost double from this year with P49 million allocation. Any organization can avail of this program for as long as they are legitimate and registered with appropriate organizations.”

The turnover ceremony of the equipment was finalized with the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) by DTI-9 and the respective presidents of the nine coop-beneficiaries.

Phivolcs conducts earthquake drills in Zambo

(PNA), LAP/TPGJR/FELINO M. SANTOS/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 14 (PNA) -– The local office of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is conducting a series of earthquake drills in schools and other establishments to familiarize the public on what to do during occurrence of earthquakes.

This, as Phivolcs Regional Director Eng’r. Allan Labayog has warned the public not to be complacent since earthquake seldom occurs in the region, saying “a big one can happen anytime.”

Labayog said this city is now experiencing the bad effects of climate change and earthquake “is included in this change” although the region “is seldom visited by high intensity quakes” unlike in the areas of Davao, Cotabato and others.

Labayog explained that this city is bounded by two big tectonic plates that seem to be holding on and is under stress.

“A time will come when these plates will give way to each others’ stress and a big earthquake can happen,” Labayog said, citing there are about 20 earthquakes that happen anywhere in the world in a day on the average.

He also stressed that this city is located between two subterranean trenches--Cotabato Trench and Sulu Trench--where movement of these trenches and plates can cause earthquakes.

The last strong earthquake that hit the city was on August 16, 1976 which was actually at the same time that a big earthquake rocked and tsunamis destroyed portions of Eastern Mindanao, particularly Cotabato City.

500 indigents served in Zambo east coast village on Mayor’s Day

(PNA), LAP/TPGJR/PR/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 13 (PNA) -– The “Dia del Alcalde Beng Climaco (Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar Day),” a basic health and social services caravan of the city government, went to Barangay Culianan, 13 kilometers east of this city, Wednesday and served more than 500 indigent residents in terms of free medical, dental and other services.

Salazar thought of the “Dia del Alcalde” in lieu of the traditional “Mayor’s Night” that every barangay would request during “fonda” (festival) nights in honor of its fiesta.

It was launched on August 7 in Barangay Tumaga, four days before its fiesta. The Barangay Culianan, on the other hand, will celebrate in fiesta on August 15.

City Health Officer Dr. Rodel Agbulos, who supervised the activity along with the barangay officials of Culianan, said the “Dia del Alcalde” is a very laudable project of Salazar in line with her priority, which is the delivery of basic health services to the people in the barangays.

Among the participating agencies aside from the City Health Office were the City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Agriculturist’s Office, City Veterinarian’s Office, Office of the Civil Registrar and the Technical Education and Skills Administration (TESDA).

The services offered were tooth extraction, milk banking education, medical consultation for children and adults, veterinary services for the animals and free medicines.

The TESDA provided trainings on baking, hair cutting, pedicure and manicure.

Also availed were civil registration at very low fee of P150 only instead of the usual P500 when availed at the Office of the Civil Registrar.

DTI launches P3.1-M SSF projects in Zamboanga City

(PNA), LAP/TEOFILO P. GARCIA, JR./UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 12 (PNA) -– The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is launching Tuesday nine Shared Service Facilities (SSF) in this city.

SSF is a flagship project of the DTI aimed at improving the quality and productivity of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by addressing the gaps and bottlenecks in the value chain of priority industry clusters through the provision of processing or manufacturing equipment, tools and machinery.

The launching, which will be held at the Holy Rosary Family Center in Barangay Pasobolong, will be spearheaded by DTI Regional Director Nazrullah Manzur and DTI Provincial Director Rolando Acuña.

DTI Regional Information Officer Lowell Vallecer said the projects that would be launched Tuesday amounted to P3.1 million.

These include the following: upgrading of food processing facilities of the Pasobolong Women of the Holy Rosary United Parents Ássociation, P376,880; expansion of handicraft production center of the AGAPE Human Development Foundation in Zambowood, P423,000; slippers making livelihood project of the ZC Urban Poor Homeowners Association in Tulungatung, P633,000; and coco sugar processing equipment of MAPZACARA MP Cooperative in Patalon, P365,000.

Vallecer said as its name implies, SSFs are not given to individual enterprises but are meant to be shared for the common use of the MSMEs.

SSF project proponents in the region are usually registered associations and cooperatives with proven track record but whose production efficiency and productivity are affected by lack of the required equipment, according to Vallecer.

He said Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar will be the guest speaker in Tuesday’s launching of SSF projects.

Meanwhile, he disclosed the DTI has allocated P27 million for SSF projects for the entire region.

He said they are targeting to implement 67 SSF projects in region for this year.

CDC OKs LDIP, AIP

By Vic Larato

The City Development Council chaired by Mayor Beng Climaco approved on Thursday the city government’s 2014-2016 Local Development Investment Program (LDIP) and the 2014 Annual Investment Program (AIP).

Engr. Rodrigo Sicat, city planning and development coordinator, said the LDIP is the basic document that translates the Local Development Plan (LDP) into programs, projects and activities.

“It contains a multi-layer listing of programs, projects and activities with cost estimates and sources of funds to be used to implement the LDP,” he said of the LDIP

For 2014, the LDIP includes funds for general public services amounting to more of less P640 million, social services costing PP806.7 million, economic services in the amount of P868.9 million and other services worth P903.2 million for a total of P3.2 billion.

In 2015 and 2016, the LDIP will have a total appropriations of P2.9 billion and P2.7 billion, respectively.

The 2014 AIP, on the other hand, is a tool by which the city government administers and translates the LDIP.

It carries a total appropriation of P3.2 billion for general public services, social services, economic services and other services.

Both the LDIP and AIP will have yet to be forwarded to the Sangguniang Panlungsod for the august body’s information and appropriate action.


OCENR intensifies drive against illegal quarry

By Jasmine Mohammadsali

The report for the recent apprehension of a vehicle believed to be involved in illegal quarrying operations has been turned over to the proper authorities for investigation and legal action, the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR) said yesterday.

Reports reveal that a notice has been forwarded by the City Legal Office to the owner of the apprehended truck, tasking the recipient to “show cause why you should not be cited for violation of Section 41 of the City Ordinance No. 2002-094”.

This action was undertaken based on the incident report filed by the OCENR a day after the apprehension was made. As per protocol, all apprehension reports are submitted to the City Legal Office for further investigation and action.

On Tuesday, August 6, the OCENR intercepted and apprehended a truck transporting boulder materials without proper documentation, following complains of an alleged illegal quarrying operations at Calle Honor, Lunzuran.

Office records confirmed that the intercepted truck was one of the tree vehicles previously apprehended by the OCENR last July 11 at barangay Tulungatung.

The truck was conducted to the Zamboanga City Police Station 5, Divisoria, for disposition and investigation.

Zambo City Council to probe easy destruction of infra projects

(PNA), LAP/TPGJR/PR/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 9 (PNA) -- The City Engineer’s Office (CEO) and the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR) have a lot of explaining to do regarding the recent destruction of rip-rapping projects in rivers of flood-stricken barangays, caused by last weekend’s flash floods and landslides.

Councilor Cesar Jimenez Jr., said that officials of these two government offices have been invited for a dialogue in next week’s regular session of the city council.

“Through a resolution last Wednesday, I actually took the initiative of inviting these offices in our next regular session, with the hope that they will be able to explain to the august body, as to what happened, and why those more than a million pesos worth of infrastructure projects have been swept away just like that,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez said, that based on reports, more than a hundred linear meters of rip-rapping projects in the rivers of Barangays Manicahan, Tugbungan, Bolong, and in Ayala, were easily washed away by rampaging flood waters last Saturday and Sunday, which also led residents to evacuate.

“Such destruction has cost around P2 million in taxpayers’ money, so they (CEO and OCENR officials), have to be prepared to answer questions from us (city councilors),” Jimenez, who is also the City Council’s disaster committee chairman, said.

Jimenez said that based on reports coming from some concerned residents and officials of the affected barangays, some of these rip-rapping projects have sub-standard quality, judging from the kind of materials used by the contractors.

On the other hand, Jimenez clarified that even the OCENR has to be equally held liable for the numerous destructions brought about by the overflowed rivers.

“We will also try to find out, if this office (OCENR) has been doing their job in ensuring protection of our rivers from illegal, as well as, excessive quarrying, because the way things appeared, too much quarrying activities in those rivers could be one of the causes of such natural calamity,” he said.

Close to a thousand residents from eight barangays had to evacuate to safer areas, as river waters submerged their houses, including their farms and livestock due to non-stop rains that started Friday until Sunday.

Two children died in a landslide in sitio Cumati, barangay Limpapa last Saturday morning.

Zamboanga City mayor orders immediate repair of damaged infrastructures

(PNA), LAM/TPG/UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 8 (PNA) -– Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has ordered the City Engineer’s and City Agriculturist offices to finalize the assessment of damage to infrastructures and agricultural products due to continuous rains and strong winds over the weekend and to submit reports to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC).

Salazar said the report should be submitted along with recommendations to immediately repair and rehabilitate damaged facilities and farm and fishery products.

Salazar ordered the immediate repair of damaged infrastructures like road networks, among others, to ensure the continuous delivery of basic government services.

Initially, City Engineer Luis Despalo estimated a P7-million damage to riprap and road facilities in various barangays such as Tugbungan, Divisoria, Tetuan and Curuan, among others.

Despalo said temporary measures will have to be initiated by the barangays pending the declaration and use of calamity funds.

City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat reported that 88 hectares of farm lands and fishponds were inundated by flooding spawned by the inclement weather from Friday to Sunday. The estimated cost of damage is placed at almost P500,000.

Palacat said this figure is subject to final assessment and validation which will be done once the water has subsided.

Salazar noted that the excess volume and strength of the water current was the main cause of the collapse of the ripraps in some riverbanks and waterways.

DepEd releases P41.9-M bonus to Zambo teachers

(PNA), LAP/TPGJR/FMS/EBP

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 7 (PNA) -– The Department of Education (DepEd) has paid a total of P41.9 million Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) to the 4,782 teachers in 205 public schools in this city.

Acting City Division of Superintendent Pedro Melchor Natividad announced they have completed the release of the PBB on Monday, citing the division office was opened last Saturday and Sunday to accommodate all of the teachers.

Natividad said the bonus has been apportioned according to the teachers’ performance ranking based on the evaluation held the previous school year.

The PBB ranges from P4,500 to the maximum of P35,000.

Natividad said that the teachers of the six elementary schools which got “exceptional” rating received P35,000 each.

They are from the Cacao Elementary School, Islamia Elementary School in Barangay Cabaluay, Manicahan-Poso Elementary School, Crispin Paragas Memorial Elementary School in Barangay Quiniput, Baluno Elementary School, and Bermuda Elementary School in Barangay Vitali.

The teachers in another six elementary schools located in the barangays of Calabasa, Vitali, Talisayan, Upper Calarian (Southern Support Command), Dulian-Upper Bunguiao and La Paz (Camp Susana) that earned “outstanding” rating received P25,000 each.

Natividad said the P20,000 PBB was paid to each of the teachers in 12 schools that earned “excellent” rating.

Natividad said the grant bonus will inspire the teachers to excel in teaching aimed to provide quality education to their students.

Natividad said the schools and the teachers were all assessed and evaluated by a team of evaluators from the DepEd Central Office.

300 displaced workers benefit from employment program of city, DOLE

By Jocelyn P. Alvarez (PIA9)

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Three hundred displaced and unemployed workers are assured of employment as the City government of Zamboanga through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) launched on Aug. 2 a five-month employment program.

Public Information Officer-City Mayor’s Office (PIO-CMO) Belen Covarrubias said “the CSWDO’s Aug. 2 launching of the Emergency Employment Projects for Wage Employment and Livelihood Skills Formation (EEPWELSF) officially marked the start of the project in the city.

She revealed that some 60 persons composing the first batch of beneficiaries already had their orientation immediately after the Aug. 2 project launching.

Four more batches with 60 beneficiaries per batch are up for another round of orientation within the project’s five-month timeline, Covarrubias explained.

She said the employment project will focus primarily on providing displaced workers with emergency employment for a 30-day work period.

Series of Livelihood Skills Formation for self-employment assistance will also be conducted by the CSWDO to complement the EEPWELSF project.

In 2012, approximately 500 displaced and unemployed workers were recorded in the City.

DOH, partners launch Lung Month; step up drive vs. TB

By Michael Vincent D. Cajulao (PIA9)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Health (DOH)-9 together with its lead partners from the government and private sectors launched the observance of the Lung Month last Aug. 1 with the theme, “ Tuldukan ang TB. Ikalat ang Tamang Impormasyon, Hindi ang Diskriminasyon.”

In a media forum conducted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), DOH 9 Chief Medical Technologist Mr. Joselito Cua said the month-long activity would focus on the most common lung ailment in the country, tuberculosis (TB).

“Seventy five Filipinos are dying of TB every day. Philippines ranks number 9 in TB burden, and TB is the number 6 leading causes of morbidity and mortality in our country,” Mr. Cua pointed out.

In its quest to control TB, Cua said the DOH is improving its facilities, and strategy on TB control through the participation of all stakeholders.

“We have our National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) to address TB. What’s good about our program is that it is now integrated in the health structure of the community. Every health center is now Direct Observed Treatment Strategy (DOTS) center capable of managing TB patients, from identification, diagnosis, and treatment until they are cured,” Cua explained.

Zamboanga City Health Office Medical Officer IV Dr. Dulce Amor Dagalea said “TB is still one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the past years, 6th on 2010 and 7th in 2011. However, it has improved much in 2012.”

CHO report showed that in 2012, TB was ranked 14th among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Zamboanga City.

Dagalea further said that, “For every 1,000 population in Zamboanga City, at least two are at risk of TB, and one dies of it.”

She also stressed that TB can be acquired through droplets of infected persons. It can also infect an unborn child if a mother is infected with TB. However, it does not guarantee that a child will automatically be infected unless the TB bacteria of the mother go through the blood streams.

Ms. Miriam Kanti, a clinical instructor of one of the local schools here and representing Zamboanga City Council Against TB (ZAMCAT), enjoined media partners to help them by disseminating proper information to the public.

“Our main problem why there are still patients who do not want to undergo treatment is because of the stigma against them. Let’s have a uniform message that TB is curable. It can be cured and it is for free,” Kanti clarified.

She also said that Zamboanga City’s multi-ethnicity also plays a part in the spread of TB.

“We have our different beliefs. We have our own myths about TB. But to put it simply, if we have cough for about a week or two, it’s not normal anymore. We have to undergo test. Again, it’s for free,” she pointed out.

Dagalea also debunked the myth that smoking can cause TB. However, it makes a person more vulnerable to the disease.

“Smoking does not cause TB. But it weakens our immune system, especially our lungs and that makes a person more susceptible to TB,” Dagalea said.

As to other support for patients, Philhealth is giving P4,000.00 per patient who are admitted in all Philhealth accredited institutions.

“Our participation comes in with the accreditation of facilities. We give patients admitted to accredited institutions patients who are confined with the facility,” Mr. Ronald Jabay, Public Relations Officer III of Philhealth-9 said.

Mr. Jabay added that the support is a not a one-time support for patients. However, Philhealth discourages relapse or incomplete treatment.

“We will still be giving financial support to the patient if the disease recurs, except if it’s due to discontinuance of medication by the patient,” he said.

TB case detection and cure rate is high in Zamboanga City, Dagalea said.

“For case detection rate, in 2010 we have 93%, 101% in 2011, and for 2012 100%. For the cure rate, for 2010 we have 92% and for 2011 we have 90% complete treatment rate. We are still to compute for 2012,” she explained.

Rains trigger floods, landslide; Beng leads relief ops for victims

By Sheila Covarrubias

Mayor Beng Climaco mobilized government resources to help victims of this week’s continuous rains and strong winds that caused flooding in low lying areas in the city and landslide in Limpapa.

The downpour and strong winds caused by monsoon rains and induced by a low pressure area over at Central Mindanao killed two minors in a landslide in sitio Cumati, Limpapa Saturday and temporarily displaced over 200 families due to floods that hit at least 7 barangays since Thursday.

Another person was hurt when his house was pinned down by a coconut tree uprooted by strong winds in Purok 1 in Labuan Saturday morning.

Member agencies of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) coordinated with each other for the conduct of the rescue operations during the floods that hit barangays Curuan, Tumaga, Tugbungan, Pasonanca, Guiwan, Sta. Maria and Tetuan among others. City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr. supervised the coordination efforts.

Personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection and Police station in Labuan first responded to the report about the landslide in sitio Cumati in Limpapa at about 6:30am yesterday. Three houses were buried underneath boulders of rocks and soil that instantly killed 6-year old Ayen Caluuyan and 14-year old Agustin Caluuyan. In another incident, Mohammad Habirun, 30 was wounded when his house was felled by a coconut tree.

Mayor Climaco proceeded to Limpapa yesterday morning to personally look at the situation of the families affected as well as to provide necessary interventions. She sympathized with the Caluuyan family for the loss of the two children and personally spearheaded the relief operations for all the victims with the support of personnel from the City Social Welfare and Development Office under OIC Chief Evelyn Las Marias.

She likewise instructed the concerned agencies to do everything possible to assist the victims and help them alleviate their plight.

On Friday night, the mayor also personally checked on the evacuation center in Tugbungan and led in the distribution of foodstuffs and other relief goods to flood victims.

The CSWDO as of 10pm Friday recorded 64 families with 232 dependents in Tugbungan to have been temporarily evacuated to the Tugbungan Elementary School. An additional 296 individuals were also temporarily displaced by the floods in the barangay.

In Mormons, Tetuan and Riverville (near the DPWH) in Tumaga, some 76 families were also affected and sought refuge in neighbors when water rose due to floods. Some houses were also slightly under water in Villa, Sta. Maria, Guiwan and Pasonanca but the water subsided after a few hours Friday night.

The CDRRMC remains on alert as the weather condition remains abnormal as of press time.

On Thursday night, 11 families were also affected by floods in Curuan but the water subsided a few hours after. The floods were caused by incessant rains in the forest.

Zambo health office creates Task Force TB

(PNA), JBP/TPG/PJN

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 3 (PNA) -- The City Health Office has created Task Force Tuberculosis (TB) in all of the 98 barangays in a bid to strengthen the anti-TB campaign in this city.

Dr. Dulce Amor Dagalea, head of city health’s epidemiology and surveillance unit, said the primary mission of the task force is case finding as well as to conduct anti-TB advocacy.

Dagalea said they have created the task force to find TB cases since there are residents afflicted with the disease refuse to seek medication in the health centers, even though they know it is free of charge.

Dagalea noted they refuse to seek medication due to the stigma of being afflicted TB although it is already publicly known that the disease is curable.

She said the advocacy is also geared towards prevention of TB aside from encouraging the patients to seek medication.

TB is rated seventh in mortality rate and 14th in morbidity rate in 2012 in this city, according to Dagalea.

Meanwhile, the city health office in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) regional office focus on anti-TB campaign in line with the observance of the Lung Month this August.

They have lined up activities in line with the Lung Month observance to include advocacy campaign.

This year’s lung month observance is themed: “Tuldukan ang TB. Ikalat tamang impromasyon, hindi ang diskriminasyon.”

Zambo City, DOLE launch employment program for displaced workers

(PNA), PDS/TEOFILO P. GARCIA, JR./UTB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 2 (PNA) -– The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) launched Friday a five-month employment program in a bid to assist displaced workers find gainful employment.

The launching of the Emergency Employment Projects for Wage Employment and Livelihood Skills Formation officially marked the start of the project in this city.

The employment project focuses primarily on providing displaced workers with emergency employment for a 30-day work period.

Evelyn Las Marias, CSWDO officer-in-charge, said that a total of five batches will be conducted within its five-month timeline, with each batch serving 60 beneficiaries.

Las Marias said the CSWDO will likewise conduct series of Livelihood Skills Formation for self-employment assistance to complement the Emergency Employment Project.

A total of 240 displaced and unemployed workers are envisioned to undergo the livelihood skills formation, according to Las Marias.

She said displaced workers are those who have lost their means of livelihood due to company closure for bankruptcy and retrenchment of workers.

She said they also include victims of disasters and trafficking cases.

She said that approximately 500 displaced and unemployed workers were recorded in this city last year.

The Emergency Employment Project utilizes the bottom-up budgeting (BUB) approach, an approach mandated by DBM-DILG-DSWD-NAPC Joint Memorandum Circulars No. 1 and 2.

The BUB approach seeks to “make planning and budgeting processes of both local and national governments more participatory through the genuine involvement of grassroots organizations and communities”.

It likewise intends to “strengthen the convergence of the delivery of national services in the community.”

NCIP educational assistance benefits Zambo. City indigenous students

(PNA), FFC/TPGJR/PR/EBP (PIA9)

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP)-9 has extended educational assistance this school year to 46 college students from this city belonging to indigenous cultural communities such as Kalibugan, Sama, Bajaus, Subanon and Yakan.

Engr. George T. Jocutan, caretaker of the NCIP office here, pointed out that NCIP has been implementing the Educational Assistance Program (EAP) and the Merit-Based Scholarship Program (MBSP), which provide grants to students until they finish their respective undergraduate and/or postgraduate courses.

Whichever program they belong, Jocutan said, these students are entitled to grants of P5,000 or P10,000 per semester for their educational expenses either in private or public universities.

“A prospective grantee must, however, pass a set of criteria to qualify, and must maintain and comply with academic requirements and conditions to be able to continuously avail himself of the assistance from NCIP,” Jocutan added.

The NCIP in Zamboanga City has allocated P490,000 for this school year’s 46 grantees.

Last school year, there were 62 grantees with an allocation of P620,000.

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