Zamboanga City News February 2016

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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.

Pasonanca tree house refurbished

(Daily Zamboanga Times)

The world renowned tree house located at Camp Jose Atilano Campsite in Pasonanca has been refurbished and continues to give joy to the residents and visitors.

Considered as one of the legacies of the legendary Mayor Cesar Cortes Climaco, the Pasonanca tree house was re-inaugurated Sunday, February 28 with the official unveiling of the marker led by his niece Mayor Beng Climaco and his relatives and other city officials in celebration of his 100th birth anniversary.

The Pasonanca tree house is fully furnished with comfortable twin beds and bathroom.

People can get the chance to try and experience an unforgettable stay at house atop the heritage acacia tree. For inquiries and reservations, please call 991-2295 (City Mayor’s Office); 991-4985 (City Administrator’s Office); 955-3967 (City General Services Office).

The Pasonanca Tree house was originally constructed as the Youth Citizenship Training Center in April 1960 through the initiative of then Mayor Cesar C. Climaco.

BIR sets launching of 2016 Regional Tax Campaign on Monday

(PNA), FFC/TPGJR

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) -– The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has scheduled the launching of the 2016 Regional Tax Campaign on Monday, February 29, in this city.

Manuel Mapoy, BIR OIC-regional director, said the launching of the campaign will kick-off with a motorcade and to be followed by the program proper.

After the program, Mapoy said there will be a tax exhibit which will be held in one of the local shopping malls.

Mapoy said the activities are part of his office Public Awareness Campaign (PAC) milestones and strategies.

Mapoy rallies the support and cooperation of local government leaders, business and professional groups, including the media, to assure the success of the 2016 Regional Tax Campaign.

He announced earlier they will intensify collection efforts in the entire region to meet this year’s PHP7.8 billion revenue target collection goal.

He said the efforts include the conduct of tax mapping in the entire region.

The office of Mapoy has jurisdiction over the following Revenue District Offices (RDOs): RDO-91, Dipolog City; RDO-92, Pagadian City; RDO-93-A, Zamboanga City; RDO-93-B, Zamboanga Sibugay; RDO-94, Isabela City, Basilan; RDO-95, Sulu; and, RDO-96, Tawi Tawi.

City gov’t fetes 2016 local achievers

By Sheila Covarrubias

The City Government Thursday night laid out a red carpet ceremony to fete 8 Zamboangueños and locally based companies or establishments that brought honor and prestige to Zamboanga City in celebration of the 79th Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga.

Dubbed as the “Local Achievers’ Awards”, the annual event was one of the pre-Dia de Zamnboanga activities which culminated Friday with a grand military parade and commemorative program.

Mayor Beng Climaco spearheaded the ceremony with Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde and extolled the awardees for their exemplary contributions to Zamboanga.

Leading the list of Local Achievers this year is former City Police Director PSSupt. Angelito Casimiro who was bestowed the Achiever in Public Service and former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Director Zenaida Arevalo who was conferred the Achiever Award on Community Service.

International weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz was honoured as the Achiever on Sports, Ben Ang (Hung He Ping) of the Happy Convenience Center garnered the Investment Promotions award while Eagle Scout Jericho Ortega was bestowed a special citation for exemplary achievement in the Scouting Movement. Hacienda Palmeras was conferred as the Tourism Oriented Establishment.

The Culture and the Arts Award was conferred to the internally-acclaimed Zamboanga Hermosa Chorale.

This year’s Top Local Corporate Taxpayer is the Coca-Cola Femsa Philippines while Al Hassan Hasiman was conferred the Top Individual Taxpayer.

February 26 marks the day when the first set of city officials led by appointed Mayor Nicasio Valderosa was installed into office 79 years ago following the signing of the Charter of the City of Zamboanga by then President Manuel L. Quezon on October 12, 1936.

The Commonwealth bill that eventually became an Act creating Zamboanga as Charter City was authored by Assemblyman Juan S. Alano.

PSA, DENR, civil registrar office hold information caravan in Sta. Cruz Island

(PNA), FFC/TPGJR/R.G. ANTONET A. GO

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 26 (PNA) -– Employees of two national government agencies and one from the local government unit have conducted on Friday an information caravan in a sea gypsy community in the Great Sta. Cruz Island, this city.

“We have advocated the importance of birth, death and marriage registration to the Sama-Bajaus who are staying in the island,” PSA Regional Director Mewchun Pamaran said.

Aside from the PSA, those who joined Friday’s caravan were employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the City Civil Registrar’s Office.

Pamaran said they were able to served at least 20 Sama-Bajau families during the caravan.

She said they also planted 100 mangrove propagules after conducting the information caravan.

She said the activity was in line with the celebration of the Civil Registration Month, which is anchored on the theme: “Makiisa…Makisali sa Dekadang Civil Registration and Vital Statistics.”

The observance of the Civil Registration Month every February is pursuant to Proclamation 682 issued by then President Corazon Aquino.

ON CCC’s 100th BIRTHDAY (City Hall to release Chavacano comics)

By Vic Larato

Another Chavacano publication has just come off the press and will soon be given away to the public—this time in comic series about the life and works of Zamboanga’s legendary mayor, the late Cesar Cortez Climaco.

Dr. Jose Genaro R. Yap-Aizon, assistant city administrator, announced yesterday the Chavacano comics published by the local government unit of Zamboanga will be formally launched on Feb. 28, marking CCC’s 100th birth anniversary.

Titled “El Vida de Cesar C. Climaco,” the comics come in three parts—“Part 1: Cesar Como un Bata” is written by Gabriel Perez, “Part 2: Cesar Cuando na Secondaria” written by Anthony Diaz Verzosa, and “Part 3: Si Cesar Como un Contrario del Soborno Y Corrupcion,” written by Raymund Nonato Faustino, all illustrated by Victor Ian Marcos Covarrubias.

Dr. Aizon said the publication of the Chavacano comic series is in line with the city government’s sustained efforts, programs and activities geared towards the promotion and preservation of Zamboanga City’s unique language called Chavacano, which is a Spanish creole language.

In her message, Mayor Beng Climaco said the publication is a tribute to CCC for his charisma, courage and compassion.

“Su maga legacia na ciudad de Zamboanga ta continua beneficia el presente generacion y el maga generacion que viene,” (His legacy in the city of Zamboanga continues to benefit the present generation and the generations to come) Mayor Climaco said.

She further said that Mayor Cesar C. Climaco, her uncle, was an important figure in Zamboanga City’s colorful history, and even to this day, those who are familiar with his legacy, continue to celebrate his life.

“While his name has become synonymous to courage and toughness, he is also remembered for his colorful personality, particularly his long hair and his fondness for children,” Climaco said of his uncle.

Even with his great accomplishments, however, CCC is unknown to many of today’s Zamboangueños, mostly the younger generations.

This, the mayor explained, is the reason for the city government to publish and release the Chavacano comic series, reintroducing one of the most flamboyant Zamboangueños.

“Through these comics, the readers will be introduced to and know more about Cesar Climaco—his life, his passion, his advocacies,” the chief executive said, hopping also to rekindle the readers’ immense love for Zamboanga, sense of heroism and the courage to stand for what is right in each and every Zamboangueño.

CDRRMO mulls purchase of 3 water trucks

By Claudine Uniana

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office will seek the approval of the city council of its revised budgetary plans for the procurement of necessary equipment and implementation of various projects geared towards disaster response and disaster preparedness.

No less than City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer and concurrent Acting City Administrator Elmeir Apolinario revealed the local government’s efforts to improve the city’s response to and preparation for future crises that may hit Zamboanga.

According to the city official, the said budgetary plans include, among others, the purchase of three (3) water lorries (trucks) of 15,000-liter capacity as well as funding details of projects deemed indispensable to disaster prevention, preparation and response.

“Ya puede kame busca fondo, no less than about P150M ay pone came con este todo para aregla el problema de crisis aqui na pueblo particularmente in terms of disaster response and disaster prevention,” Apolinario told members of the media during the regular press briefing held at City Hall Monday morning.

He added that for the past week his office was able to finalize its request for the conduct of bomb threat and contingency planning for fire incidents in shopping malls, tentatively scheduled on March 16-17. Some 250 participants are expected to attend the said event.

BFP sets Fire Prevention Month activities in Zambo

(PNA), LAP/TPGJR/R.G. ANTONET A. GO

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 23 (PNA) -– The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has readied several activities to mark the observance of the 49th Fire Prevention Month in this city.

Chief Insp. Clint Cha, Zamboanga City district fire marshal, said Tuesday the activities include a Holy mass, motorcade, essay and poster-making contest, and continued fire prevention information campaign.

The Fire Prevention Month is being observed in March since it is the hottest month of the year.

The observance is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 115-A issued on November 17, 1966 by then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

This year’s Fire Prevention Month observance is anchored on the theme “Kaalaman at pagtutulungan ng sambayanan kaligtasan ay makakamtan.”

Meanwhile, Cha has urged the public to be fire safety conscious “on a daily basis” and not only during the month of March.

He said they have already started the fire prevention campaign in the barangays due to the prolonged dry spell brought about by the El Niño phenomenon.

He said they have recorded 83 fire incidents since January.

Of the total, he said 52 were grass fires which are rampant during prolonged dry spell.

Zamboanga City allocates P15.5M for school building

By Bong Garcia

THE Zamboanga City Government has allocated P15.5 million for the construction of a new national high school in a west coast village of the city.

City Engineer Luis Vicente Despalo said the funding allocation is for the construction of two-storey eight-classroom building and site development of the San Roque National High School.

The school was created through the recently-approved House Bill 06155 authored by first district Representative Celso Lobregat.

It is one of the three newly-created public secondary schools in the city. The other two were the Pasonanca National High School and Tulungatung National High School.

Despalo said that the P10.5 million will be used to construct the school building while the remaining P5 million for site development.

Despalo said the construction of the school building and site development are set to start either in March or April, this year.

He said the San Roque National High School is included in the list of more than 200 projects they asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt from the election ban.

SMC bullish on Zambo’s investment potentials

By Sheila Covarrubias

The San Miguel Corporation on Wednesday sent a delegation to Zamboanga City to concretize its intention to invest in Zamboanga City.

As this developed, Mayor Beng Climaco expressed gratitude to San Miguel Corporation President Ramon Ang who sent an 8-man team composed of top executives to have a look-see of the potentials of the city. She said confidence on the city’s capability to be a key investment hub is very encouraging and the economic boom that the city has achieved in 2015 has bolstered the city’s economic dynamism.

The delegation led by Hercules Galicia, Executive Staff from the office of SMC President was composed of the heads of the Technical Services division and Project CSU, the project director, Executive Director for Foundation and the heads of SMC Archen Technologies and San Miguel Mills.

The group met with Mayor Climaco and Zamboanga Economic Zone and Freeport Authority Chair Christopher Arnuco in City Hall Wednesday morning to discuss investment opportunities. During the meeting, the City Investment Promotions Division presented the City’s investment profile while City Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Rodrigo Sicat presented updates on plans to transfer the Zamboanga Airport to a new location. Chairman Arnuco talked about the benefits that the company can get should it decide to invest within the Ecozone area.

After the City Hall visit, the group went on a site visit of of the proposed Zamboanga International Airport, Bolong beach, Zamboecozone, canned sardines plant and a ship building/repair facility.

Peace process forum set in Zamboanga City

By Bong Garcia

THE Chevening Alumni Association Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (CAAFPI) is conducting a forum entitled Sustaining the Peace Process in the Philippines.

The CAAFPI is an association of alumni scholars and fellows of the Chevening UK government scholarships in the country.

The forum, which is scheduled to be held on Saturday in one of the local hotels, will gather peace stakeholders for a dialogue on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and the prospect of sustaining peace in Mindanao.

“We recognize the importance of sharing the updates and challenges of the peace process,” lawyer Michael Toledo, CAAFPI president, explained why they are conducting the forum.

Among the resource speakers in the forum are: lawyer Algamar Latiph, Chevening Fellow 2006; lawyer Maisara Dadamun-Latiph, Chevening Scholar 2006; and, Abhoud Syed Lingga, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel.

Toledo said there is a need to gather the peace stakeholders to dialogue and discuss not only the BBL but also the prospect of sustaining peace in Mindanao.

Toledo noted that the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have committed to continue the peace process although both parties conceded the BBL will not pass within the administration of President Simeon Benigno Aquino III.

“The peace and development advocacy are much needed and there is an imperative to initiate discussions with stakeholders on how to sustain the peace process in Mindanao,” he said.

He said they conceptualized the forum with the following objectives: to inform the participants on the current challenges, context and status of the peace in Mindanao as well as the BBL by the representatives from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the MILF, as a venue for dialogue and participation of all peace stakeholders, to collect ideas from the participants on the peace and gather their recommendations concerning peace, and to inform the policy-makers on the output of the collected ideas and recommendations from participants.

PESO holds Job Fair Feb. 24

By Sheila Covarrubias

The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) under the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) will spearhead a job fair with the participation of 20 local and 10 overseas companies on Feb. 24 at the Red Cross Training Center in Pettit Barracks from 8am to 4pm .

Target participants for the job fair are skilled and unskilled workers, fresh graduates and job seekers between 18-45 years old.

The activity forms part of the City Government’s campaign to help provide employment opportunities to the residents and ultimately improve their way of life.

In 2015 alone, the PESO-CSWDO has employed thousands of individuals who were hired either by local companies or employers abroad.

City Tourism Office backs 2nd Zambo birds festival

(Daily Zamboanga Times)

The City Government of Zamboanga under the leadership of Mayor Beng Climaco is supporting the conduct 2nd Bird Festival which is set on February 22-24, 2016.

This event is a sequel of the successfully conducted 1st Birds Festival in February, 2014 coinciding with 9th Philippine Birds Festival in 2014 where international birders and bird enthusiasts traveled to Zamboanga City for a distinct birding experience. Significantly, this is the second year for the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology to organize the event.

Ms. Sarita Sebastian, City Tourism Officer , discloses the various events planned to highlight the three-day affair which includes a Poster Making Contest, Amateur Photograph Competition, Birds Festival Run dubbed as RUN TO SAVE OUR BIRDS on February 23, 2016 at five in the morning, Symposium and Film Viewing open to public at the Audio Visual Room of the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) on February 24, 2016, at 9:30 in the morning 1:30 in the afternoon, On Site Birds Watching at the ZSCMST Sanctuary on February 24, 2016 AT 3:30 in the afternoon.

Zamboanga City is home to migratory birds and a breed of 186 species which are rare and endemic. The flock of migratory birds upon the cables of downtown Zamboanga is a phenomenon that is unexplained to this date. The city’s famous Sta. Cruz Island is likewise a host site of a rare breed of migratory birds which became a hit among the international birders who came to Zamboanga in 2014. This year, the pink Island is once again included in the Bird Watching itinerary.

The 2nd Birds Festival is organized by the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology in collaboration with the Department of the Tourism – IX, Department of Environment and Natural Resources – IX, and the City Government of Zamboanga through the City Tourism Office and Wild Bird Club of the Philippines .

USAID’s Be Secure Project advocates use of rain water

(PNA), FFC/TPGJR

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 16 (PNA) -– The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Water Security for Resilient Economic Growth and Stability (Be Secure) Project, is advocating for the passage of an ordinance by local government units (LGUs) to require the installation of rain water harvesting and storage facility in all buildings and houses in their respective localities.

Elisea Gozun, USAID’s Be Secure Climate Resiliency team leader, said Monday that harvesting and storing rain water should be practiced in every households “so that we can make use of it” for other needs especially in times of El Niño.

“We should maximize the use of water that we have,” said Gozun, speaking on the first day of the four-day Water Audit Training in this city.

Gozun said that a law was enacted sometime in 1989 during the time of then President Corazon Aquino requiring all barangays to have their own rain water harvesting facility.

Gozun, who is the former secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), however noted that such law “as in many other laws was never implemented.”

She said the ordinance to be adopted by the LGUs should be applicable only to all houses and buildings that will be constructed after its approval.

She said the harvesting and storage of rain water should be practiced all year round by all households not just in times of El Niño citing climate change has great impact “in our water resources.”

The USAID Be Secure Project is conducting the Water Auditing Training in partnership with the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD).

It is aimed to help the various stakeholders learn how to conduct rapid water audits and evaluate how water is used in their facilities.

The four-day training is aimed to promote effective water demand management at the local level as a way to prepare for impending water stress and adapt a climate-resilient and sustainable water use.

The training is anchored on the theme “Water Audits: A tool Towards Water Efficiency.”

Cloud seeding operations start Tuesday in Zambo City, PAGASA says

(PNA), FFC/TPGJR

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 15 (PNA) -– The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is conducting cloud seeding operations starting Tuesday to help cushion the effects of the prolonged dry spell caused by the El Niño phenomenon.

The conduct of the cloud seeding, which will be held until February 28, is in line with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-El Niño Task Force Project.

Dr. Leoncio Amadore, PAGASA consultant, said they are just waiting for the arrival of the equipment such as the radar and upper air device to start the operations.

Amadore, along with other personnel of PAGASA, Philippine Air Force (PAF) and Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), who comprises of the cloud seeding team, paid a courtesy call on Monday to Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar at City Hall.

Amadore said they will be using science-based technologies and approaches in the conduct of the cloud seeding operations.

He said they will be spending millions of pesos in the conduct of cloud seeding operations, citing the expenses for three-day sorties is PHP2 million.

He said the fuel cost alone is PHP148,000 per hour of cloud seeding operations. PAF will be using two types of aircraft during the activity.

The project aims to modify the weather and to mitigate the impacts of the present El Niño especially on natural water resources for sustainable domestic and industrial water supply, agriculture, power generation and the likes.

PAGASA is implementing cloud seeding operations throughout the country, and is focused on areas severely affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

The damage to crops brought about by the El Niño phenomenon have reached PHP17.7 million covering 860 hectares of agricultural land as of February 5 in this city.

City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat said that 776.24 of the 860 hectares of agricultural land are with no chance of recovery.

Amadore said they will conduct cloud seeding operations in North Cotabato, which is also affected by the prolonged dry spell.

Zamboanga City to host Bird Festival 2016

By Bong Garcia (Sunnex)

PREPARATIONS are underway for the holding of a three-day Bird Festival 2016 in Zamboanga City.

Mary June Bugante, Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director, said the bird festival, which is set to be held from February 22 to 24, will be spearheaded by the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) headed by Dr. Milavel Nazario.

Bugante said the festival will be held at the bird sanctuary of the ZSCMST in the village of Rio Hondo. It will be held in partnership with the DOT, Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the local government through the City Tourism Office.

The festival forms part of the activities lined up for the “Dia de Zamboanga (Zamboanga Day)” celebration on February 25.

Bugante said the bird festival is expected to gather birders from across the country and abroad at the sanctuary of the ZSCMST.

The fishpond of the ZSCMST has been documented as the first breeding group for the Great Egret in the country. At least 40 other bird species visit the area.

According to Wikipedia, the Great Egret is a large heron with all-white plumage. Standing up to one meter (3.3 feet) tall, this species can measure 80 to 104 centimeters (31 to 41 inches) in length and have a wingspan of 131 to 170 centimeters (52 to 67 inches).

Zambo City provides alternative livelihood to farmers to cushion effects of El Niño

(PNA), RMA/TPGJR

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 13 (PNA) – The local government is initiating moves to provide alternative livelihood opportunities to farmers affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

Diosdado Palacat, city agriculture officer, said the program was to help cushion the effects of the El Niño on the lives of the farmers.

Palacat said they had asked the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to provide livelihood assistance to the farmers.

Palacat’s office has reported that 947 farmers were so far affected as of Feb. 5 by the prolonged dry spell brought about by the El Niño phenomenon.

Some 860 hectares of land planted to different agricultural products worth Php 17.7 million have been damaged by the prolonged drought.

Palacat said DOLE had already replied positively to the city government’s request and is making available a cash-for-work program for the affected farmers with Php 280 daily salary for a period of one month.

He said one-month job will cover desiltation of rivers, irrigation canals and irrigation dams.

He said more workers were needed to fast track the city government’s desiltation project although the program is ongoing.

He said the farmers would be a welcome addition to the workforce.

He said they were also coordinating with the FAO for the possible implementation of the rice-for-work program where the farmers would render services in exchange for a sack of rice.

Zambo barangay to operate first Material Recovery Facility

(PNA), LAP/TPGJR/R.G. ANTONET A. GO

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) –- San Roque, a barangay located six kilometers northwest of City Hall, is soon to become the first barangay in this city to have its own Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

Joselito Macrohon, San Roque barangay captain, told the Philippines News Agency they allocated PhP2 million for the purchase of the equipment to be used at the MRF such as bioreactor and shredder.

Macrohon said the MRF will be fully operational next month, citing the bioreactor arrived Wednesday and will undergo dry run.

Macrohon said the MRF will serve as the economic enterprise of the barangay since they will be producing organic fertilizer to be sold to farmers in this city.

The bioreactor is used to convert biodegradable garbage to organic fertilizer.

Macrohon said they collect daily 4,000 to 6,000 kilos of garbage and 60 percent of these are biodegradable, which can be converted into organic fertilizer.

He said they will implement the “no segregation, no pick-up policy” once the MRF will be operational to hasten the fertilizer production.

Macrohon said the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR) are assisting them in the establishment of an MRF.


PAGASA's 3rd doppler radar station in Zamboanga to operate in March

(PNA), ZST/TPGJR/R.G. ANTONET A. GO

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 10 (PNA) -- The third doppler radar station of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) here in Mindanao, barring some hitches, is set to be operational in March, this year.

Maribel Hasanah Enriquez, chief meteorological officer of the PAGASA-Zamboanga station, told the Philippines News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday, that the equipment for the doppler radar station arrived here Tuesday.

PAGASA has allocated PhP100 million for the project.

The station is located inside Camp Basilio Navarro that houses the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) headquarters in Barangay Upper Calarian, this city.

Enriquez said they are just waiting for the arrival of Finland-based personnel, who are experts in the operation of doppler radar station, to install the equipment.

The doppler radar, which was purchased in Helsinki, Finland, will be used to measure amount of rainfall, rain intensity and other weather conditions.

Once installed, Enriquez said the third doppler radar station will start operations next month.

She said the local PAGASA personnel are set to undergo training in preparation for the operation of the station.

The other two stations are located in Tampakan, South Cotabato and Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

Zambo holds drought contingency workshop

By Bong Garcia

ALL is set for the conduct of the three-day workshop for the development of a Drought Contingency Plan to establish actions and procedures to cushion the effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon.

The workshop organized by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) will be held from Tuesday until Thursday with the participation of the different stakeholders.

Dr. Elmeir Jade Apolinario, CDRRMO chief, said objectives of the workshop are to establish actions and procedures for managing water supply and demand during drought conditions.

Apolianrio said it is also aimed to draw a plan that enables to maintain essential public health and safety, minimize adverse impacts on economic activity, environment resources and city’s lifestyle.

He said the first two days of the activity will be highlighted by presentations on the current situation such as the extent of El Niño in this city.

He said the contingency planning is the first of its kind which will better equip this city during similar incidences in the future.

Zamboanga City has been declared under a state of calamity as the water level at the Pasonanca diversion dam depletes continuously brought about by the El Niño phenomenon.

The Office of the City Agriculture has reported that the damage to agricultural crops as of January 29 has reached the P14 million mark with over 800 farmers affected.

Zambo’s Chavacano language now has its own orthography

By Vic Larato

After almost two years in the making, Zamboanga City has finally produced and is now promoting the orthography of its unique and Spanish derivative language called Chavacano, a feat that no administration in the past had ever done nor even just a thought of it.

Dr. Jose Genaro R. Yap-Aizon, the mayor’s executive assistant for Education, Culture, Arts and History, explained that the orthography refers to the set of rules and/or standards on the usage of a language, and its primary function is to apply graphemes in the oral statements and written pronunciations of the language.

(Note: A grapheme is a set or a part of a system of writing that includes the letters or the alphabet (consonants and vowels), diphthongs; stress, syllabication, spelling, accents and punctuations, and the hyphens.—Ed.)

A linguist and a language professor himself, Dr. Aizon pointed out that the orthography is very vital to the preservation and promotion of a language, especially like the Chavacano of Zamboanga, which lends meaning from the word creole [defined as a language of mixed origin: a language that has evolved from the mixture of two or more languages, and has become the first language of a group].

History has it that the City of Zamboanga, highly urbanized and chartered in 1937, is presently home to nearly one million but united and peace-loving Zamboangueños of diverse faiths, cultures and traditions.

Along with these diversities is the reality that in a multilingual and multiethnic society, the people were born to speaking different vernaculars or dialects and languages. And in the case of Zamboanga, the Spanish-based creole language called Chavacano is widely spoken by the majority of the population.

Study showed that Chavacano borrows heavily from Spanish vocabulary minus its grammatical structure. It also combines vocabulary words and makes use of certain grammatical rules from English, Tagalog, Bisaya, Tausug and other dialects in this part of the country.

Today, the Zamboanga Chavacano is one of the oldest creoles in Asia, which has survived for than 400 years.

While previous administrations had taken steps to preserve and promote the Chavacano language due to the perceived threat of extinction brought about by the influx of non-Chavacano-speaking migrants, Aizon said it is only during this present administration that the orthography was produced, and thus forms as the basis of language.

From a linguist’s perspective, Dr. Aizon said the importance of orthography cannot be overemphasized, especially for language instruction.

It increases clarity and self-confidence in communication; the standard usage of letters and symbols makes language learning easier and more accurate, and it can define learning assessment standards.”

For language preservation and maintenance, the standard usage of Chavacano orthography prevents confusion or misunderstanding.

“One cannot just produce a book or dictionary of a language without the basis—the orthography. It should come first and foremost before any other promotional publications of a language,” he quipped.

Now that the Zamboanga Chavacano has already its own orthography, which was submitted last Dec. 4, 2015 to the Komisyon ng Wika as part of its archives for future reference, Aizon said the preservation and promotion of Chavacano language now stands on a solid ground.

It now forms part of the Department of Education’s (DepEd’s) Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) instructional materials for Grades 1 to 3 in all the subject areas.

And, to formally launch the Chavacano orthography, the city government conducted last week a series of trainings among MTB-MLE teachers on how to use the orthography in teaching.

Dr. Aizon further stressed that the focus is on language maintenance or the way Chavacano is being used by the present generation of Zamboangueños in adherence to the principles of MTB-MLE.

Although the Chavacano orthography is a wok in progress and is still evolving towards a standardized written academic language, Aizon said it can be used as a common reference for consistency.

He thanked the civil society organizations, academic institutions and the people from different professions who contributed their time, talent and resources to the making of the Zamboanga Chavacano Orthography.

“It was really a long and tedious process, almost two years in the making,” he recalled. It all started from the city government’s open invitation to all universities in Zamboanga for a research on the Chavacano orthography.

Of those invited, only the Ateneo de Zamboanga University had responded positively, thus it was given a grant by the city government to do the research, which ran from August until October 2014.

The research output was presented to, critiqued, revised and improved by the participants of the five-day Zamboanga Chavacano Orthography Congress on Nov. 19-23, 2014 at Paseo del Mar’s Centro Latino Convention Hall. One of the objectives was to determine the different Chavacano word variations.

The participants were representatives of the different sectors, such as the academe, religious, military, police, barangay officials, business and civic leaders, and other stakeholders.

Then, a committee was organized with Dr. Aizon as chairman and co-chaired by Michelle C. Reyes, chairperson of ADZU Languages Department.

The members are Dr. Maria Yvonne Socorro H. Ramos, chief of staff, Western Mindanao State University; Dr. Victoria D. Mangaser, division supervisor, Department of Education; Dr. Valeria G. Corteza, division supervisor, DepEd; Maion Guerrero, chair of Communications Department, ADZU; Joylito Lahoy, assistant chair of Languages Department, ADZU; Prof. Julie Uy-Cabato, director of Language Development and Resource Center, WMSU; Prof. Elinor T. Cudia, director of Komisyon ng Wika, WMSU.

Other members include Dr. Erlinda C. Espinosa of Silsillah Foundation, Dr. Expedito H. Malbago, a professor of the College of Liberal Arts, WMSU; Prof. Claro Potenciano, also of WMSU College of Liberal Arts; Prof. Josefina S. Mendoza, Prof. Norma C. Conti, Felino Santos, a journalist.

Councilors Rogelio L. Valesco, chairman of the Committee on Education, and Vincent Paul Elago, chairman of the Committee on Tourism, both of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, are honorary members.

The next step now, according to Dr. Aizon, is to write and produce the Chavacano lexicography or dictionary.

Young Zambo City leaders recognized

By Jasmine Mohammadsali

Five young leaders made the cut to the 10th Senator Roseller T. Lim Award, one of the commemorative activities slated for the 10thDia de Roseller Lim on February 9.

The local government of Zamboanga and the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Zamboanga on Friday, February 5, recognized Arnold Ferolino, Kenneth Al-John Abas, Arthur Joshua Rodriguez, Nafieza Mohammad, and Raemond Angelo Karagdag as five of the most outstanding young leaders in the City.

Dubbed the Five Outstanding Zamboangueño Young Leaders or FOZYL, the award is a tribute to the exemplary character of the first and only Zamboangueño Senator Roseller T. Lim and is conferred to youths who possess and demonstrate qualities of leadership, excellence, and commitment to service epitomize by the late Sen. Lim.

The formal conferment of award will be held on February 9 at the Astoria Celebrity Hall, Grand Astoria Hotel as the culminating activity of the 10thDia de Roseller T. Lim commemorative program.

The 10thDia de Roseller Lim will be held on February 9 with a commemorative mass at 4 PM at the Carmelite Monastery chapel, to be followed by the commemorative program at 5 PM at the Senator Roseller T. Lim Monument at Normal Road.

The commemorative activities will highlight not only the legacy but also the 101st birth anniversary of Roseller T. Lim who, to date, holds the distinction of being the City’s first and only Senator.

Zambo press club joins World Interfaith Harmony Week observance by conducting bloodletting activity

(PNA), RMA/TPGJR/R.G. ANTONET A. GO

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 6 (PNA) – The Zamboanga Press Club, Inc. (ZPCI) on Saturday spearheaded the conduct of a bloodletting activity as part of its participation in the observance of the World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) in this city.

The bloodletting was one of the activities lined up on the second to the last day of the week-long WIHW observance that kicked off Feb. 1.

The activity, dubbed as “Sangre mio es tu vide (My blood is your life),” has yielded 32 units of blood or a total of 14,400 cubic centimeters (cc). It was held at the ZPCI office at Pilar Street, Barangay Zone IV, this city.

Among those who joined the ZPCI’s bloodletting activity were marine engineering students of the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST); Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity members; cycling enthusiasts; walk-in blood donor advocates; ZPCI officers and members; and, other concerned individuals.

The activity was realized with the support of the Philippine Red Cross-Zamboanga Chapter, City Hall Information Officer Belen Sheila Covarrubias, and Dr. Milavel Nazario, ZSCMST president.

Roel Pareño, ZPCI board chairman, said the bloodletting activity was part of the organization’s health program geared towards advocating the importance blood donation.

“The ZPCI is looking forward to do another round of bloodletting activity in the future in coordination with other agencies,” Pareño said.

Dr. Ma. Eileen Ruste, PRC-Zamboanga chapter blood center physician, said the activity was of big help to the local PRC blood bank.

The local PRC blood bank caters to the patients needs not only from this city but to included the nearby provinces of Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

Aside from the bloodletting, the other activity lined up for the second to the last day of the WEIHW include Harmony Youth Day; Moral Ascendancy Program on WIHW spirit for the police; Education and the Education-Formation for the female inmates at the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center (ZCRC); and, Poster and Slogan Making Contest also at the ZCRC.

On Feb. 7, the WIHW activities include the prayer and message of WIHW during the Eucharistic celebration; special service at the Home for the Aged; and, the culminating activity of the WIHW in the afternoon.

This year’s WIHW observance is anchored on the theme “Celebrating Harmony: A journey towards World Peace.”

The observance of WIHW stemmed from a resolution approved by the United Nations on Oct. 20, 2010 in recognition of “the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people.”

February 26 is holiday in Zamboanga City

By Bong Garcia

MALACAÑANG, through Proclamation 1212, has declared February 26 as a special non-working holiday as Zamboanga City is celebrating its 79th Charter Day Anniversary.

Issued on January 28, 2016 and signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. by the authority of President Benigno Aquino,

Proclamation 1212 emphasizes that it is fitting and proper that the people of the city be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

Proclamation 1212 was issued on January 28. It was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., by the authority of President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III.

February 26 marks the day when the first set of appointed city officials led by Mayor Nicasio Valderosa took their oath of office in City Hall.

Meanwhile, on Monday, February 8, Chinese New Lunar Year, is also declared a holiday nationwide per Proclamation 1105 series of 2015.

On the other hand, February 25, which marks the 30th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution is also a special non-working day by virtue of Proclamation 1071, series of 2015.

BIR intensifies tax collection efforts in Region 9

(PNA), ZST/TPGJR/R.G. ANTONET A. GO

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 4 (PNA)--The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is intensifying efforts here in Region 9 to meet its PhP7.8 billion target collection goal, which is higher by PhP1.4 billion than last year’s PhP6.4 billion.

Manuel Mapoy, Revenue Region No. 15 officer-in-charge, on Thursday told the Philippines News Agency (PNA) that the efforts include the conduct of tax mapping to meet the target collection goal of PhP7.8 billion.

The conduct of tax mapping is to identify the sources of revenues in barangays, municipalities, cities and provinces.

Mapoy said the revenues include income tax, real estate tax, value added tax, excise tax and others.

Revenue Region No. 15 covers the following revenue district offices (RDOs): RDO-91, Dipolog City; RDO-92, Pagadian City; RDO-93-A, Zamboanga City; RDO-93-B, Zamboanga Sibugay; RDO-94, Isabela City, Basilan; RDO-95, Sulu; and, RDO-96, Tawi Tawi.

Mapoy said he has designated revenue collection quota to the seven RDOs under his office in a bid to meet the PhP7.8 billion target revenue.

He said the collection quota are as follows: RDO-91, PhP1.6 billion; RDO-92, PhP1.2 billion; RDO-93-A, PhP3.3 billion; RDO-93-B, PhP626,064; RDO-94, PhP276,550; RDO-95, PhP287,152; and, RDO-96, PhP401,095.

Last year, the Revenue Region No. 15 has a collection deficit of almost PhP1 billion since they were only able to collect PhP5.5 billion and the target collection goal was PhP6.4 billion.

Pag-IBIG Fund-Zambo grants calamity loans to members

(PNA), FFC/TPGJR/R.G. ANTONET A. GO

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 2 (PNA) -– The Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) popularly known as the Pag-IBIG Fund on Tuesday announced the agency is accepting application for calamity loans in this city.

Mary Jane Reyes, member services branch operation head of Pag-IBIG Fund-Zamboanga, said the loan is aimed to financially assist its members affected by calamity brought about by the El Niño phenomenon.

This city has been recently declared under state of calamity due to the prolonged dry spell brought about by the El Niño phenomenon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the El Nino phenomenon in the country may intensify from moderate to strong in the last quarter of 2015 up to the first quarter of 2016.

Reyes said a HDMF member can avail loan as much as 80 percent of their total savings from Pag-IBIG. The money can be used to mitigate the effects of the El Niño to the lives of its members.

She said so far 2,000 Pag-IBIG members have already applied for calamity loans. There are 108,000 Pag-IBIG members in this city.

She said the Pag-IBIG member can receive the loan within five working days provided they have completed all the documentary requirements.

Zamboanga City joins World Interfaith Harmony Week

(PNA), FPV/TPGJR

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Feb. 1 (PNA) – The week-long observance of the World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) kicked off Monday with individual flag raising ceremonies of the participating agencies as the opening salvo.

The WIHW ends February 7.

It is to be followed by an Interfaith conference on the reflection of the present realities in the context of the common word.

Fr. Sebatiano D’ambra said the observance of the WIHW has three main objectives and these are: to continue maintain international links with the initiators of the WIHW who are committed to promote harmony in the world, especially among cultures and religions;

To formally launch a national partnership initiative to encourage many on the national level to celebrate the WIHW offering guidelines and suggestions in the spirit of service while leaving to each group their own autonomy and creativity to implement the WIHW with their own resources;

And, to spread through media initiatives done on international and national levels in relation to the WIHW and to invite to Harmony Village, Zamboanga City before the end of 2016 from each of the provinces or groups who celebrate the WIHW in their places, for sharing of experiences and commitment to support one another.

D’ambra said several activities were lined up in the different venues for the weeklong observance of the WIHW in this city.

To ensure greater participation, Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has issued Executive Order 161 enjoining all schools, government entities, private institutions, non-government organizations, parishes, church-based communities and other people’s organizations to join and support the weeklong observance.

This year’s WIHW observance is anchored on the theme “Celebrating Harmony: A journey towards World Peace.”

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