Zamboanga City News December 2018

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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.

Sama Bangingi community transforms into a living museum

By Myra Cel Espinosa (ALT/MLE/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – The Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation aims to transform Sta. Cruz Island with the Sama Bangingi Community into a “living museum”.

The foundation’s project started when they saw the need of the community especially the children who need to traverse and swim the sea just to go to school.

The Chief and Co-founder of Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation Dr. Anton Lim helped the community by providing these yellow boats for the children and at the same time, for the livelihood of the community.

“There should be no kid swimming just to go to school,” he said.

These yellow boats are also used for the lagoon tour in Sta. Cruz Island where tourists are welcome to visit and this also serves as an instrument for livelihood of the community.

With the improvement of the livelihood of the Sama Bangingi community, the foundation decided to join a community development competition launched by the former environment chief Gina Lopez called “The Quest for Love,” a nationwide search aimed to help underdeveloped communities.

The foundation together with the academe, private and government sectors will recreate this Sama Bangingi village into a living museum. They will build houses on stilts like what it was before for the Sama Baningi tribe. Tourists may also have the opportunity to witness the rich culture of the tribe.

Dr. Lim thanked the community for the continuous cooperation for the project, saying, “It’s what hope can give to a person, it gives them something to look forward to.”

The transformation of the community is expected to be realized within six months’ time.

Moreover, for the foundation, the result of the competition is just an additional reward for the community because the important thing is that they were able to develop the livelihood of the tribe.

Community fireworks display pushed for Zamboanga City

By Myra Cel Espinosa (ALT/MLE/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – The city of Zamboanga will still ban the fireworks display and selling of firecrackers this year, following the Firecracker Ban Ordinance of 2014. But community fireworks display will be supported by other city officials.

Zamboanga City Hall reminded the public that the firecracker ban is still in effect. Meanwhile, Councilor BG Guingona is supporting the conduct of a community fireworks display to replace the ban on the use of fireworks by individuals as stated in the city ordinance.

Furthermore, the result of the city ordinance as per data from Department of Health IX (DOH), Zamboanga City has recorded zero firecracker-related and stray bullet incidents from 2015-2018.

DOH IX also supports the community fireworks display to lessen or avoid injuries during the New Year’s celebration. They are also advocating other means to create noise instead of using firecrackers.

Some residents of the city are dismayed with this ordinance but there are also those who support it for the safety of the residents.

The Firecracker Ban Ordinance of 2014 was proposed by Councilor BG Guingona three years ago considering the trauma on explosions by the residents during the 2013 Zamboanga Siege. The residents are hopeful that there will be fireworks, but only those that are managed by community officials.

Nevertheless, the city of Zamboanga reassures peace and order in the city during the holiday season, promoting a safer city for 2019.

Wooden boatmaking embraces Mindanao life, culture

  • Source: www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057461
  • Wednesday, December 26, 2018 12:26 pm
By Rey-Luis Banagudos (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- In a coastal barangay located 35 kilometers from downtown Zamboanga City, one could witness a craft that has existed in the region since time immemorial -- boatbuilding.

The boatyard there is one of a handful that can be found along the city’s long coast, including in one island.

Since local pre-history, the inhabitants have been building a great variety of wooden boats used for fishing, trading and rituals, among others.

According to legend, the first royal datus in the country traveled by boats from Indonesia to establish pre-Islam and pre-Spanish sultanates in different parts of the archipelago.

A Tausug sultan, centuries ago traveled by boat -- likely a parao or long balanghai -- to China to visit the kingdom’s emperor.

Tausug in English means “people of the current”. The Badjaos are called sea nomads who until recent times lived in houseboats all their life.

The Sangali boatyard is located in Sitio Malasugat, along a large cove where the Zamboanga Fishing Port Complex and an adjacent ship repair yard -- a varadero -- are also found.

The cove teems with many fishing boats that unload catches bound for refrigeration plants of the complex, to be shipped out to other provinces in Mindanao or the extras or rejects to be sold in local markets.

At the boatyard a few days before Christmas, shipwright Embass Abdurasid and his assistant rushed to finish a wooden-hulled “tempel”, a fast-running type of boat.

The boat is 48 feet long, 11 feet deep from gunwale (topside) to keel (or spine), and five feet from side to side at widest point.

The ribs are made of thick lauan boards bolted together to form the boat’s V shape body, though the rear is flat bottomed to give stability to the seacraft.

Embass said the body’s skin is made of three-eight (inch) waterproof marine plywood nailed to the ribs and caulked with epoxy to seal out the seawater.

When the main body is finished, Embass said he will also build a pilot house and flooring, which will be waterproof.

Another contractor will do the painting, and another one will install the engine and other navigational accessories.

The engine is a marine diesel with a 90-horsepower capacity, he said.

Embass said it will take him three months to finish the construction. The boat is owned by a Tausug businessman who will utilize it to ferry cargo and passengers between Jolo and nearby islands in Sulu province.

Embass said wooden boats are preferred in the region than boats made of fiberglass.

Fiberglass, he said, is prone to cracking in the tropical sun of the region.

Near the area where Embass is building his boat are two newly finished tempels, too, both seemingly ready to challenge the Sulu Sea.

Other types of wooden motorboats common in the region are the kumpit, junkung and lepa-lepa.

The kumpit are normally large enough to carry tons of cargo (like smuggled rice from Malaysia) or company-size passengers.

Today, they compete with steel-hulled motor launches that ply around the archipelagic region including Sabah ports.

The junkung is usually bigger than the tempel but smaller than the kumpit, is used to ferry passengers or cargo between shorter distances. The Moro rebels who attacked Zamboanga in 2013 rode a junkung from Sulu to the city.

The lepa-lepa (or simply lepa) is a round-bottom tempel-size craft native to Tawi-Tawi and more commonly found there, popular to the local Samas.

Once upon a time, the Badjaos used paddles to move them around as their houseboat. Now, there are bigger versions that use inboard engines as commercial vessels.

Their round bottom makes them almost impervious to capsizing, sliding from wave to wave even in a heaving sea.

Other types of boats seen in the region is the basnig, kulibo, buggoh, and the iconic vinta.

The basnig is a slim-built fishing boat with outriggers and tall masts. The kulibo is a small fishing boat with short outriggers and fitted with an inboard engine. The buggoh is a banca that uses a paddle to move about and is called a pumpboat if powered by an engine instead of paddle. The vinta is a sailboat, often romantically portrayed in seascape photos about the region.

Labor compliance officers inspect over 1K establishments in Zambo

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Department of Labor and Employment in Region 9 (DOLE-9) has inspected a total of 1,046 business establishments all over Zamboanga Peninsula in 2018 to ensure their compliance with existing labor laws.

DOLE Regional Director Ofelia Domingo told the Philippine News Agency the year-round monitoring aims to ensure the welfare of workers, in compliance with the government's General Labor Standards (GLS) and Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS).

The GLS sets the labor requirements as provided by existing laws, rules and regulations relating to wages, hours of work, allowances and other monetary and welfare benefits, and other workplace standards set by OSHS.

The OSHS was formulated in 1978 in compliance with the constitutional mandate to safeguard the worker’s social and economic well-being as well as his physical safety and health.

Domingo said the 1,046 establishments the agency has inspected are part of the 1,192 establishments they originally targeted for monitoring in 2018.

Among the areas monitored, this city has the highest number of businesses inspected at 437. Other inspected establishments are in the following areas: Zamboanga del Norte, 224; Zamboanga del Sur, 155; Zamboanga Sibugay, 134; and Isabela City, 96.

Meanwhile, Domingo has called on business establishments to comply with the region’s minimum wage law -- PPH316 and PHP303 for non-agricultural and agricultural enterprises, respectively.

Zambo dad pushes creation of child-minding center in villages

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- A government official here is pushing for the establishment of a Drop-in and Child Minding Center in the barangays to provide a support system to working parents.

Councilor Joselito Macrohon on Friday said the center can be put up alongside the day care center in each of the villages.

Macrohon said that one of the objectives in establishing the center is to provide supplemental parental care to children of employed parents during their working hours.

He noted that the center is to provide substitute parenting and protection to children from all forms of neglect, abuse and exploitation while the parents are at work, and to contribute to the physical and health development of children through proper care and nutrition.

He said the center can also provide spiritual, socio-cultural and nationalistic values, as well as the development of strong positive attitude towards God, the family, the environment, and the society in general.

Macrohon authored a proposed ordinance seeking to institutionalize the establishment of the Drop-in and Child Minding Center in the barangays.

The City Council approved the proposed ordinance on first reading during its regular session on Wednesday.

Macrohon said the Drop-in and Child Minding Center will be handled by a day care worker, nurse, utility worker, and Gender and Development Focal Person as stipulated in the proposed ordinance.

Bihing Tahik has new school building

By Sheila Covarrubias

A more conducive learning environment for Badjao children in Barangay Rio Hondo is assured with the recent turnover of a new one-storey, 2-classroom building for Bihing Tahik School in Sitio Hongkong.

Through the generosity of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education, the new building was constructed through the Barangay Council of Rio Hondo with a cost of P1.5 million.

Mayor Beng Climaco graced the turnover ceremony Tuesday as she profusely thanked the DSWD, DEPED and the Rio Hondo Barangay Council for working hard and looking after the welfare of the Badjao children.

The project is expected to ensure quality education and ultimately paving the way for a better children for the Badjao children.

The Bihing Tahik School is an annex of the Zamboanga Central School and caters to Kinder and Grade 1 and 2 students at present.

Badjao parents and children chanted “Mayor Beng, Mayor Beng” as the chief executive made her way to the new school building for the inauguration rites.

Mayor Climaco has a soft spot for the Badjaos of Hongkong, whom she has been assisting since her days as Councilor and later Vice Mayor until she became District I Congressional Representative and as mayor at present.

Zamboanga City launches anti-dengue drive

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The City Health Office has started implementing its anti-dengue health advocacy in barangays with the most number of deadly mosquito bites.

This developed after the City Health Office recorded an increase in dengue cases since August this year, registering 194 cases compared to 184 in the same period last year.

Dr. Annie Rose Amar, City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (CESU) head, said that in September this year there were 207 dengue cases against 109 of the same period in 2017.

Amar said that in November, this year, they have recorded 224 cases compared to the 90 cases of the same period last year.

The first three weeks of December, this year, registered 71 dengue cases while there were only 65 for the entire month last year.

Sanitary inspectors have been mobilized for the anti-dengue campaign, Amar said.

The CESU chief identified the barangays with the most number of dengue cases as the following: Pasonanca, 133; Calarian, 118; Talon-Talon, 75; Baliwasan, 74; Sta. Maria, 61; Recodo, 69; San Roque, 58; Mercedes, 55; Putik, 55; Tumaga, 50; and, Canelar, 48.

Meanwhile, Amar said the measles outbreak had already been controlled with only one case reported in the last two weeks.

Tausug event organizers bring wedding dreams to life

By Rey-Luis Banagudos

ZAMBOANGA CITY – As more young Muslim Filipinos become mainstream professionals or entrepreneurs, many of them would prefer having big and glamorous weddings with their hard-earned money.

This makes events coordinating a profitable business, with Hadja Kasma Abraham and her young partner, Alnadz Asbi, among the budding entrepreneurs.

After freelancing as informal special events organizers for the past five years, they finally set up their own shop in Zamboanga City to better offer their services to expectant would-be grooms and brides.

They inaugurated their shop last December 13, only the second of its kind in the city. They named their shop “Royale Vows”.

Their forte is they can take charge to put together an authentic traditional Tausug wedding ceremony – in a total package and experience.

It could start from the “pagkawin” or engagement, down to the pre-nuptial celebration, to designing and sewing of wedding attires, venue contracting, Muslim food menu and officiating imam. Their services also include video-photo documentations and everything in-between.

A traditional Tausug wedding – to include that of their traibal Sama and Yakankindreds – means wearing customary garbs.

These are called “batawi” for the bride and “lapi” for the groom.

The batawi is a long-sleeved blouse, usually made of shimmering cloth and embroidered with glittering sequins, and paired with loose trousers of same material and color.

The bride also dons a closed circular sash over her one shoulder, trailing down her hips and over her back, which Hadja Abaraham calls “habultiahan”.

The groom’s lapiis likewise made of a long-sleeved shirt and trousers, but he instead dons a sash called ‘pizsiabit” and a cloth belt with a pouch called “dulis banding”.

Zamboanga to introduce biz permit one-stop shop in 2019

By R. G. Antonet Go

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The city government will implement its Business One-Stop Shop Plus (BOSS+) initiative on the first working day of January up to the 20th next year.

City Licensing Chief Benjie Barredo on Wednesday said BOSS+ simplifies the procedure for acquiring business permits and introduces new features that will ensure swift transaction.

Barredo said the new features include the installation of the information desk, the posting of deficiency list, the establishment of help desks and transaction lanes for single transactions, group or bulk transaction, and a special lane for senior citizens and persons with special needs.

Barredo said registration of new business will involve only two steps under the new set-up: application and payment, and release of business permit.

He said the 2019 BOSS+ is a reenactment of the 2017 BOSS program, in which the city government was able to release over 10,300 business permits in January alone.

The BOSS+ center will be established at the Centro Latino in Paseo del Mar, which will open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. It will house under one roof all the local offices, as well as national government agencies involved in the issuance and renewal of business permits. (PNA)

Sta. Cruz Island folks now have access to potable water

By Myra Cel Espinosa (ALT/MLE/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – Some 79 families of Sama Bangingi community in Sta. Cruz Island, Zamboanga City received the Ceramic Water Filter from the Department of Science and Technology IX (DOST) last December 10, 2018.

For more than 70 years, the Sama Bangingi travel by sea to Zamboanga City to get clean and fresh water to drink. DOST IX and the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation saw the problem and identified entry points to alleviate the livelihood of the community.

With the new technology, DOST’s first entry point is introducing the Ceramic Water Filters which removes impurities of waters to make it potable.

Furthermore, to address the community’s problem on electricity, DOST and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will provide lectures on how to create their own solar panel modules that can be one of the solutions for them to have a power source in the island.

“We initially thought of giving them solar panels, but then it better for them to learn to build their own,” Ricardo Apolinario III, Science Research Specialist of DOST IX said.

Another project to be provided is the Solar Powered Star Books, an offline digital library which houses over 500,000 digital compendiums of research journals and articles.

These are also expected to be given in the community to help students access readily-available information.

Meanwhile, the families of Sama Bangingi community expressed their gratitude to the agencies that helped them improve their livelihoods in the island.

The sharing and thanksgiving event is an early Christmas present of the government and private agencies to the Sama Bangingi community. Thus, there are more plans for the community which will also improve the tourism industry of the island and these are all expected to be executed by the following year.

Port of Zamboanga breaches collection goal for the year at P351.787 million—BOC

By Rea Cu

The Port of Zamboanga has exceeded its annual collection goal of P288 million for the year, with its current port collection amounting to P351.787 million, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported on Monday.

The BOC said in a news statement that the southern Philippines port has collected P38.661 million for the month of December alone, surpassing its assigned monthly target of P25 million. This led to the port breaching its annual target of P288 million for the year.

Segundo Sigmundfreud Z. Barte Jr., acting district collector of the Port of Zamboanga, said that the intensified anti-smuggling drive resulted to the rise in the revenue collection from the importation of rice and cement.

The importation of liquefied petroleum gas, round logs and refined bleach and deodorized palm oil also contributed to the higher collection records of the port, he added.

In January this year, the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) raised the year’s revenue target for the BOC to P581.2 billion, from the P459.6-billion target in 2017. The BOC was able to collect P444.1 billion in 2017.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the passage of Package 1B under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, which focuses on improving tax administration, is crucial in helping boost the collection effort of both the BOC and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Last December President Duterte signed into law the TRAIN, which slashed the personal-income tax rate from 32 percent to 25 percent, while applying offsetting measures, including increasing the excise tax on fuel and automobiles, among others. Package 1B of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) is still being deliberated upon by Congress.

Earlier in December, the BOC also reported that the Port of Tacloban also breached its target revenue collection for the year of P321 million, with collections already reaching P1.006 billion for the month of November.

The Port of Tacloban, comprised of the sub-ports of Isabel and Catbalogan City, reported that it has collected more than P1 billion as of November on the back of the increased incoming volume of cargoes.

Zambo village uses solar-powered street lights

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Taluksangay, located 19 kilometers east of City Hall, became the first village to use renewable energy among this city’s 98 barangays.

This, as Taluksangay, now uses solar power to light up the main thoroughfare of the barangay.

Abdurahman Nuño, Taluksangay barangay chairperson, on Monday said they have allocated PHP1 million to implement the project.

Nuño said they have initially installed 18 solar street lights in the barangay. The project was inaugurated on December 1.

He said that they envisioned to adding more solar street lights by next year.

He said they will also install similar lights at the barangay complex which houses the health and day care centers and the playground.

Nuño, who has served for several years as city councilor, said he learned about the solar-powered light project during his travel to Indonesia.

He said project will greatly help them in the peace and order campaign since the entire barangay will soon be lighted at night with solar street lights.

Taluksangay, which has some 10,000 population, is where the fist Islamic culture was introduced in 1885 and where the first mosque was constructed as well as the first center of Islam propagation in the region.

2 health facilities opened in Zambo City in 2018

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr (With reports from R.G. Antonet A. Go/PNA)

(YEAR-ENDER)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The year 2018 saw the opening of two vital health facilities here that would hasten the delivery of medical services to poor patients, as well as those from the neighboring areas in the region.


The first facility that was opened on September 1 was the PHP90-million Emergency and Critical Care Center (ECCC) at the government-owned Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC).


The second was the Malasakit Center, which was opened on October 13 by then Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.


Dr. Ahmed Khaayser Igasan, Emergency Room head, said the establishment of the ECCC, which will cater to trauma patients, is part of the efforts of ZCMC to modernize its facilities and improve the services to the public.


Igasan said the ECCC is a 36-bed capacity and it has its own emergency, operating and observation rooms, computed tomography (CT) scan, ultrasound, laboratory, and x-ray.


Igasan said the ECCC is also comprised of four departments, namely, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Obstetric and Gynecology.


He said the ECCC also serves patients from the entire Zamboanga Peninsula to include those from Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces, which are part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).


The Malasakit center is a one-stop-shop of government agencies that provides assistance to poor patients such as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).


The center, which is located inside the ZCMC, has an express lane for senior citizens and Persons with Disability (PWDs).


Go said the only requirement to avail of the services of the Malasakit Center is that “you must be a Filipino citizen.”


“The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop for our countrymen who need medical assistance from the government. Its aim is to hasten and bring closer to the people the help of the concerned government agencies,” he said.


Go has turned over PHP5 million to the ZCMC as counterpart from Malacañang and as initial fund to operationalize the Malasakit Center here.


“The services in the Malasakit Center are for free and non-partisan. There is no politics, anyone who is sick can avail of the assistance at the center,” he emphasized.

Health office launches HIV-Aids awareness campaign

By Bong Garcia (SunStar Philippines)

THE Zamboanga City Health Office initiated #SALVA UN VIDA Year 2, a human immunodeficiency virus-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV-Aids) awareness campaign in celebration of World Aids Day on Monday at Centro Latino Convention Hall in this city.

Dr. Dulce Miravite, acting city health officer, said the activity, highlighted by the hip-hop dance competition, intended to let the people know that “HIV and Aids is nothing to be feared but an infection that can be prevented.”

Miravite said the event aimed to give persons living with HIV (PLHIV) the positive outlook in life and end stigma and discrimination.

Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, who keynote the activity, has thanked all the organizations that have been helping and supporting the government in its campaign against AIDS.

She said the participation of all anti-HIV-Aids advocates in the said activity proves that the city commemorates the struggles and victories of those who suffered and continue to suffer from HIV-Aids.

The mayor reaffirmed her administration’s thrust to continuously implement programs to control and prevent the spread of HIV-Aids with the help of other agencies and organizations.

Miravite said HIV is increasing in Zamboanga City, stressing that 433 persons are living with HIV and Aids based on the registry of the City Health Office and the Zamboanga City Medical Center treatment hub.

Zamboanga Muay Thai team reaps medals

By Bong Garcia (SunStar Philippines)

THE Zamboanga City Government has recognized the Zamboanga Muay Thai team for its praiseworthy performance during the 3rd Muay Thai National Championship 2018.

Dr. Cecilia Atilano, City Sports Development Officer, said the national championship was held from November 15 to 21 at the Multi-Purpose Arena, Philippine Sports Commission-Philsports Complex in Pasig City.

Atilano said Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar on Monday, December 10, presented the team and the two coaches with certificates of recognition citing their efforts in reaping a total of eight gold medals that brought honor and fame to this city.

Atilano said the athletes included Diongson Rey Vincent, Egoogan Fritzel, Angelo Gilo and Noel Alabata--who individually won a gold medal by knockout; Prince Ian Berdon, Jose Catipunan Jeromie Balaocol and Ghen Yan Berdon--who won a gold medal each.

She said also recognized were the head coach Severino Siglos and the assistant coach Maria Ruzen Siglos.

Zambo PCG exec supports creation of own hospital

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- A local coast guard official on Monday expressed support for House Bill 6090 that seeks to construct a medical facility for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

HB 6090, authored by Malabon City Rep. Federico Sandoval II, seeks the establishment of the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital for PCG personnel and their dependents to "uplift the moral and welfare of its personnel and utilize the full potential of the PCG medical corps."

Lt. Commander Noriel Ramos, Zamboanga Coast Guard Station commander, noted that the privileges that PCG enjoyed from the Armed Forces of the Philippines have stopped--including medical benefits--after they were separated from the Philippine Navy and placed under the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

“At present, the PCG has its Coast Guard Medical Service, a medical dispensary responsible for providing administrative medical requirements of its personnel and operational medical services during calamities and maritime incidents,” Ramos said.

Ramos said the creation of the PCG General Hospital, once realized, is to provide comprehensive and total health care services to all PCG personnel and employees, their dependents and the retired PCG personnel.

He said it also seeks to complement the existing package of services under the health care program so as to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative programs.

Ramos said that having their own hospital to cater their men who need medical attention would be easier and accessible as well to all PCG personnel.

DOLE to conduct pre-employment seminar in Region 9

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY --The Department of Labor and Employment in Region 9 (DOLE-9) is set to implement the Pre-Employment Seminar for Local Applicant (PESLA) to provide job-seekers better employment opportunities, both local and overseas.

“We are going to provide the necessary intervention for job-seekers, so they can have more chances of getting employed,” DOLE Regional Director Ofelia Domingo on Monday said.

Through the PESLA, Domingo said job seekers will be assessed to determine what intervention can be given to them, the “do’s and don’ts” during the interview, and other needs.

Domingo said the PESLA will not be the typical lecture-type seminar but will include sharing of experiences.

She said they will train the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) managers for them to handle the seminar for job seekers.

PESLA has already been institutionalized in Region 11, she added.

Volunteers helping in Zamboanga City’s peace and order take oath

(Politiko Mindanao)

Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco has administered the oath taking of volunteers who have been assisting the local government in maintaining peace and order in the city.

The officers and members of the Citizens Crime Watch took their oath Monday at the City Hall.

“The group undertakes programs to educate residents in crime prevention, anti-drug campaign and security in the community,” the city government said.

The volunteers also work in partnership with the police and military and other law enforcement agencies and supports Climaco’s security, health, and education (SHE) program, it added.

Mayor wants DPWH projects systematized

By Vic Larato

Mayor Beng Climaco has asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 9 to systematize the implementation of its projects and programs in Zamboanga City to avoid further chaos and traffic jams on the streets.

Climaco made the appeal on “Dateline Teleradyo” Thursday morning when she revealed that the DPWH is poised to implement a new package of projects—construction, maintenance of flood mitigation structures and drainage system, flood control for urban core and central business district of Zamboanga City to include the pumping stations and road right-of-way—at junction Veterans Avenue, Alfaro St., Gov. Alvarez, passing through the junction at the Zamboanga City Medical Center all the way to Paseo del Mar.

“We have not been informed by the DPWH to coordinate for traffic. What is happening, there is no systematic proposal of all of these simultaneous projects, and they are causing heavy traffic, causing the loss of tax payers’ money, causing the loss of financial resources of people, and health concerns, among other effects,” she lamented.

The mayor was asking the DPWH to systematize its projects and programs so that they will not cause further chaos and traffic jams.

“All of these are good projects that we support, but we ask order in the implementation, we need to be systematic,” Climaco said, adding that the city’s overall assessment—without prejudice to the long term impact—is to widen the road first instead of closing roads to vehicular traffic.

Zamboanga City intensifies immunization program

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The City Health Office (CHO) is intensifying its immunization campaign to ensure the protection of infants aged nine months to one-year-old from illness.

This came as local health officials are apprehensive over the increasing number of newborns probably becoming more susceptible to illness since there is a continuous decline in the rate of fully-immunized infants in the past years.

Corazon Pagotaisidro, CHO immunization program coordinator, on Saturday disclosed they have launched a house-to-house immunization drive, especially in far-flung areas.

CHO is targeting to immunize 24,030 infants for the year 2018. Of the total, the health office has already immunized 16,879 infants as of the third quarter of this year.

Pagotaisidro said the vaccines given to the infants include three doses of Oral Polio Vaccine, three doses of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), Hepatitis B, and three doses of Pentavalent vaccines.

She noted that the number of fully immunized newborn has steadily declined since 2015.

“It's a risky situation. One reason why there was an outbreak of measles is that the immunization rate is declining,” she said.

She said the Dengvaxia scare is one of the reasons why there was a continuous decline in the rate of fully-immunized infants in this city. The other reason was that the family are transients.

She advised parents not to be apprehensive since the vaccines used to immunize infants are 100 percent safe.

Pagotaisidro said the vaccines used to immunized infants are not new ones, such as Dengvaxia that reportedly had resulted in adverse effects on children.

DPWH to finish Zambo sports complex rehab this month

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The rehabilitation of this city's sports complex, which served as the biggest evacuation center for the thousands of families displaced in the 2013 siege, is set to be completed this year.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) project engineer, Shadimar Jalaidi, said Friday the rehabilitation of the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex is already 98-percent complete.

The sports facility was damaged after it was used as an evacuation center when the 21-day siege broke out on Sept. 9, 2013.

More than 100,000 people were displaced when fighting erupted after hundreds of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) combatants loyal to MNLF founding chairman Nur Misuari occupied some five coastal barangays in this city.

Jalaidi said they are currently working on the installation gates, planting of carabao grass, and some painting jobs at the sports complex.

The repair of the rubberized track oval and playing fields, as well as the installation of the artificial grasses, which is 50 percent of the rehabilitation project, have been completed.

With a total cost of more than PHP187 million, the repair is being undertaken by a private construction firm and supervised by the DPWH.

A multi-use facility, the sports complex has an area of 57,500 sq. meters and is considered as one of the most modern in the country. The stadium holds about 10,000 people.

The sports complex hosted the 1992 Palarong Pambansa and the National Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) games in 2005, and the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) - National Sports Olympics in 2007.

DOLE-Zambo gives P500K livelihood aid to 26 'Kasambeshies'

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) has distributed PHP506,825 worth of livelihood starter kits to 26 “Kasambeshies” or household workers in this city.

DOLE-9 Director Ofelia Domingo said the livelihood starter kits, which were distributed on Tuesday, aims to augment and provide alternative income to the household workers and their families.

“We are doing this so that they will not solely depend on their salaries and have an alternative income for the family,” Domingo said Thursday.

She said the beneficiaries of the livelihood starter kits were those who joined the Miss Kasambeshie beauty pageant last May. The participants were from the different parts of the region.

The beauty pageant aimed to drum up awareness about Republic Act No. 10361 or the Kasambahay Law that provides protection and welfare to domestic workers.

Of the 26 Kasambeshies, 12 received cooking and baking utensils; six, aid for a sari-sari store business; five for rice retail; and three for dressmaking.

Domingo said each set of cooking and baking utensils costs PHP19,619 for a total of PHP235,428; the sari-sari store starter kits cost PHP19,897 each or a total of PHP119,382; rice retailing at P19,654 each with a total of PHP98,270; and dressmaking PHP17,915 each of a total PHP53,745.

Domingo advised the beneficiaries to put to good use the livelihood starter kits given to them.

She said the beneficiaries have also undergone occupational health and safety and simple bookkeeping seminar to empower them on how to manage their livelihood undertakings.

Mercedita Gaballo, the reigning Ms. Kasambeshie, thanked the government, particularly DOLE, for the livelihood assistance.

USAID, youth works PH project launched

By ANTONIO P. RIMANDO

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Local officials, led by Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, lauded the recent launching at the Garden Orchid Hotel here of the five-year, P1.7-billion YouthWorks PH project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project in partnership with the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd).

The project will train about 10,000 local out-of- school youth in education, employment and training (NEET) to later “empower them to lead productive lives.

PBEd executive director Love Basillote said they will work with local partners “to prepare the youth for eventual work.” The YouthWorks PH, in a statement, said the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Asia’s Latin Institute have identified training slots for the in-school training component of the project even as Garden Orchid Hotel and Permex Exporter Producer have also listed slots for the partner’s in-company training component.

Zamboanga is one of the project’s pilot sites “owing to its growth sector,” the two others being Cagayan de Oro and Cebu cities.

YouthWorks PH Chief of Party Karol Mark Yee told Mayor Climaco-Salazar that early next year, a career caravan will be held in the City of Flowers where all partners will be brought in “offering an array of programs to youth NEET.”

Construction of Zambo's P33-M evacuation center starts Dec. 10

By R. G. Antonet Go (PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY--The construction of the PHP33.5-million evacuation center in Barangay Cabatangan, this city, will start on December 10.

Dr. Elmeir Jade Apolinario, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) chief, on Tuesday said the evacuation center will consist of three buildings with a capacity for 500 families that will be built in a 2,000-square meter lot.

Apolinario said they are just waiting for the issuance of a permit by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to cut the trees and clear the lot where the evacuation center will be constructed.

The construction of the evacuation center is funded by the national government through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). It will be undertaken by a private construction firm, the Metro Stonerich Corporation, in 180 calendar days.

Apolinario said the evacuation center will provide temporary shelter to people displaced by human-induced and natural calamities. The facility in Barangay Cabatangan is one of the three evacuation centers that will be constructed in this city.

The other two will be built inside the Zamboanga Economic Zone and Freeport area in Barangay Talisayan for the west coast and either in Barangay Curuan or Vitali for the east coast.

4th Regional Health Research Summit held in Zamboanga City

By Hader Glang

The Zamboanga Consortium for Health Research and Development (ZCHRD) together with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Philippine Consortium for Health Research and Development conducted the 4th Regional Health Research Summit on Tuesday, December 3, 2018 here in the city.

The summit rationale is an avenue to create linkages between and among agencies. It is held every two years to celebrate and mirror the Philippine National Health Reaserch System Week in the regions.

Specifically, it seeks to provide the health research community in Region IX with a platform to interact, learn from each other, share information and experiences, voice their concerns, contribute research-based solutions to health problems, among other things.

This year's summit dubbed "Improving Lives Through Innovative Research and Utilization" visions a progressive, dynamic, and responsible health research community commited toward the attainment of local, national, and global health goods.

The summit’s mission is to develop an enabling and sustainable reasearch environment among member institutions and other stakeholders for the promotion of evidence-based health policies, programs and practices.

"We are supposed be here, of course to come together with the researchers from Region 9 to share whatever experiences we had through the years and also to look at researches that had been conducted," Dr. Teresita Montaño, chair of Zamboanga City Health Research and Development (ZCHRD) said in a press conference.

The event was also highlighted with dissemination of DOH-Funded Research Projects, and forum on HIV, Women and Children: VAWC, Public Dissemination of PCHRD-Funded Research Projects, Oral Research Paper Competition, and Mental Health.

P17-B ethanol plant to rise in Zamboanga

By ANTONIO P. RIMANDO

ZAMBOANGA CITY: A P17-billion ethanol gas plant will soon be constructed by a consortium in the barangay (villages) of Limaong and Tumitus in this city, former first district Rep. Lilia Macrohon-Nuno said.

She said a group of investors from Metro Manila expressed interest to establish the ethanol gas plant in the two villages after its representatives inspected the areas and found them to be very suitable for ethanol production.

Initially, the investors wanted to secure close to 80 hectares of rolling land for the planting of sorghum which would then be converted to ethanol gas, Nuno said, adding that the consortium would then “invest more than P17 billion for the plant, huge tracts of land, and the sorghum seedlings.”

The former legislator, who resides in the coastal village of Taluksangay, where her husband Mohammad is chairman, said the proposed project “will solve Zamboanga’s unemployment problem while many local landowners in the two areas can also plant sorghum which they can later sell to the company.”

She said the investors informed her that the ethanol gas plant “will operate 24 hours a day and will need many farm workers and security personnel for their operations.” The company is now processing the documents required by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Zambo City tax amnesty program earns P14-M

(PNA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The city government has collected PHP14 million in the ongoing implementation of amnesty for real property tax delinquencies.

Rene Lacandalo, chief of the City Treasurer’s Real Property Tax Division, said Thursday they have collected PHP14,019,284.68 in real property tax payments pursuant to Ordinance No. 484.

Lacandalo said the ordinance waives payments, surcharges and interest on unpaid real property taxes covering all years prior to Dec. 31, 2017 accounts.

However, Lacandalo said the collected amount is only 3.8 percent of the total real property tax arrearage, which is approximately PHP360 million.

He said Ordinance No. 484 grants a 100-percent tax relief to property owners who settle their accounts from Sept. 2 to Dec. 15 this year. All payments thereafter and until June 30, 2019 will be granted a 50-percent tax relief.

He called on residents to settle their real property tax delinquencies within the tax amnesty period from Sept. 2, 2018 to June 30, 2019.

Zamboanga City prepares activities for week-long Urban Poor Solidarity Week

(Politiko Mindanao)

The city government of Zamboanga has lined up a series of activities for the Urban Poor Solidarity Week (UPSW) this December.

With the theme “Urban Poor communities, one in unity and solidarity for better Zamboanga,” the city’s Housing and Land Management Division (HLMD) will spearhead the activities on December 2-8.

The local government said that former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go will be the guest speaker during the opening program on Sunday, December 2, at the City Coliseum.

Prior to the opening program, a solidarity walk will be held from Barna St. Tetuan (fronting Pastor Bonus) to the City Coliseum, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. to be followed by the Zumba exercise.

The other activities during the week-long celebration are the blood letting for the urban poor sector, seminar proper on leadership for urban poor, and UPSW Leaders’ Convention.

A Family Day activity at the Golf Course and Beach Resort in Calarian on December 8 will culminate the week-long celebration.

The UPSW is pursuant to Proclamation 367 and is intended to promote greater understanding of the issues and problems on urban poverty, and to foster unity and dialogue among the urban poor, government agencies and nongovernment organizations.

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