The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) authorities in Liloan, Southern Leyte are now concerned about a possible oil spill from the passenger roro vessel M/V Ocean King 2 owned and operated by Mandaue City-based Sea Marine Transport Corp. which beached itself near the port of Benit in San Ricardo town, Southern Leyte, last July 28.

PCG PO1 Patrio E. Romero in an interview said that they have already conducted a site survey and currently monitoring for a possible oil spill.

The Coast Guard said that while the vessel does not represent a hazard to navigation in its current location, there is still a risk that an oil spill could occur if the vessel’s hull is breached. PO1 Romero, however, assured the public that they have already laid some precautionary oil spill boom around the vessel.

“We have already contained the area,” said PO1 Romero.

It may be recalled that last Tuesday, July 28 the vessel left from Lipata port in Surigao City around noon time with 121 passengers consisting of 119 adults, two children and 26 crew as well as 13 vehicles and tons of cargo. The vessel, which was bound for Liloan port, encountered strong winds and huge waves while passing near Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Reports bared that the strong waves broke the lashing of the vehicles in the rolling cargo hold causing these to slide towards the starboard side of the vessel. The sudden shift of the rolling cargo prompted the vessel to list 80 degrees to starboard. The heavy listing caused seawater to enter the starboard side. To save the vessel, the captain diverted to the port of Benit. As the vessel maneuvered to dock at the pier, the engines backing gears failed to engage. The vessel captain then decided to beach the vessel and dropped the port and starboard anchors about 20 meters from the pier.

Cesar Seruelo, Sea Marine Transport Corp. Surigao City Branch Manager in an interview said that after the incident the 121 passengers were then disembarked and ferried to the pier safely.

Seruelo also said that they have given the passengers free meals and arranged free transportation in going to Liloan, Southern, Leyte.

“We have also transported some of their family members in going to Liloan for free yesterday. They will just have to coordinate our office in Liloan for a free transpo in coming back to Surigao,” Seruelo added.

He also said that the vessel captain and crew are still on the area to monitor the situation of the stricken vessel. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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Nagmalampuson ang pagselebrar sa bulan sa nutrisyon diin agig pagtak-op sa maong selebrasyon mao ang paghatag ug mga premyo sa mga migula nga mananaug sa “Most Outstanding Barangay Implementation of Nutrition Program 2009” nga gihimo bag-uhay pa lamang didto mismo sa Prov’l Convention Center ning atong dakbayan.

“Mapasalamaton kami sa daku nga suporta nga gipakita ug gihatag sa atong mga lideres sa probinsya hilabi na gayud sila Gov. Robert Ace Barbers ug Bise-Gobernador Noel Catre diin ilang gihatagan ug dakong bili ang mga programa sa nutrisyon para sa katawhang Surigaonon” nagkanayon si Hon. Leonita Makinano, ang Brgy. Kapitan sa Brgy. Magallanes, Claver, Surigao del Norte.

Matud pa ni Mr. Isidrick Pacqueo sa Claver, nga ilang gipaninguha nga sa tuig 2010 ang tanang katawhan sa Claver makabaton sa kapiskay sa panglawas ug halayo sa bisag unsang sakit nga pwedeng motumaw sa ilang lungsod.

Nanghinaut usab si Mr. Antonio Tiu, ang hepe sa buhatan sa Prov’l Social Services Office (PSSO) nga ang tanan nga lumilihok sa nutrisyon kanunay nga magmadasigon sa pag pag-ambit sa mga maayong impormasyon ngadto sa ilang barangay hilabi na sa pagpalit, pagpreparar ug pag panghatag sa saktong pagkaon sa matag pamilya aron ang tanan makabaton sa saktong nutrisyon nga ilang tagkinahanglan.

Miduyog usab sa maong awarding ceremony sila Vice-Gov. Noel Catre, SP members Regina Alaan, Isabelita Edera, mga hepe ug assistants sa lain-laing departamento ingon man usab mga empleyado sa kapitolyo. (PGO-Surigao del Norte Media Bureau)
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A ferry capsized in rough seas off an island in Southern Leyte province on Tuesday, but all 121 people aboard were rescued, the Coast Guard said.

The M/V Ocean King tipped over onto its right side near the southern tip of Panaon island, Chief Petty Officer Manolito Dacel of the Coast Guard station in Southern Leyte told the AFP by telephone.

The ferry was carrying passengers, cargo and vehicles from Brgy. Lipata in Surigao City to Liloan town Southern Leyte.

The ferry left Lipata at around noon, and at 3 p.m., near Balong-Balong Point in Barangay Binit, San Ricardo, Southern Leyte, the starboard side of the boat's steering room was slowly filling with water, causing it to tip to the side.

Capt. Zalde Angot reportedly decided to proceed to the San Ricardo Wharf due to the emergency, but the boat became stranded on shore.

"All of them are wet after M/V Ocean King sank about 80 percent at the starboard side. Luckily the ship's captain managed to maneuver towards the shore as the boat slowly submerged due to huge and strong waves," Dacel said.

Small ferries are the backbone of inter-island travel in this archipelagic country, and accidents -- many leading to loss of life -- are not uncommon. With reports from the Agence France-Presse and ABS-CBN Tacloban
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City Health authorities here confirmed on Monday, July 27 its first case of A(H1N1) flu infection involving a 37 year-old man.

City Health Officer Dr. Aldine Morales said the patient has already recovered after taking Tamiflu, but he didn't say how the patient was infected.

It was learned that the patient has a history of travel abroad, the report said the patient arrived in the city two weeks ago and began to develop cough symptom after 7 seven days of incubation period.

Morales then assured the Surigaonons that there is nothing to worry because there is no community outbreak yet, and measures are now being done to prevent transmission, including quarantine of immediate family members of the first case.

An effective way to prevent from getting sick with flu according to Dr. Morales is to practice the proper hand washing, covering one’s mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, strengthen body's resistance through eating nutritious food, having adequate sleep, regular exercise, drinking plenty of fluids, managing stress and avoid crowded places. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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The Australian government has identified seven areas in the country that will initially benefit from the P3.8-billion road development project in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) said the first seven provinces that will benefit under the Provincial Road Management Facility project are Bohol and Guimaras in the Visayas and Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, and Surigao del Norte in Mindanao.

Three other provinces are still being determined and will be announced next year, the AusAID said.

The P3.8-billion financial aid for road infrastructure development in the Visayas and Mindanao, which is a five-year project, is part of the P4.6-billion or approximately A$123 million aid for the country from 2009 to 2010.

Through the said facility, Australia will help manage and maintain more than 1,000 kilometers of provincial roads in up to 10 provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao. “Infrastructure drives development and improves the livelihood of all citizens. The Provincial Road Management Facility will promote development and economic growth by strengthening governance and improving the quality of provincial roads in the southern Philippines,” Australian Embassy Chargé d’ Affaires Stephen Scott said.

“In Bukidnon, the facility will provide approximately P35 million in the project’s first year to rehabilitate up to 51 kms of roads that will connect interior and upland communities to the national highway,” he added.

The project is expected to create more jobs and improve market access among neighboring areas, especially in the transport of palm oil, rubber, pineapple, rice, corn, abaca, and coconut.

“Good roads will also provide the indigenous communities in Bukidnon, such as the Manobo and the Higaonon, with greater access to livelihood opportunities, schools, health and other social services,” Scott said.

Australia is a long-standing development partner of the Philippines and one of the country’s three largest bilateral grant aid donors. (Manila Bulletin)
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Two lawmakers and a former official who have pending graft cases with the Sandiganbayan have asked the court for permission to travel because they are part of the entourage of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when she goes to Washington to meet President Barack Obama on July 30.

Administration Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid, who is among the group of legislators who will be joining the President, Friday asked the anti-graft court to allow him to leave for the US from July 29 to Aug. 15.

Lapid has a pending graft case with the 1st Division, filed against him in 1998 by the President’s sister, Cielo Macapagal-Salgado, for allegedly using government funds to buy a P140-million property when he was still Pampanga governor.

The Office of the Ombudsman withdrew the charges last year, but the case remains pending as Salgado filed a motion for reconsideration questioning the withdrawal.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Matugas, who also joined Ms Arroyo’s party during her 11-day official visit to Japan and Brazil last month, is also part of the delegation.

Matugas, who also has a pending graft case, also asked the court to allow him to travel.

Meeting with who’s who

Aside from Obama, Ms Arroyo will be meeting with US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates on July 31, a copy of the itinerary submitted to the court by former Public Estates Authority chair Ernest Frederick Villareal showed.

Villareal, who is facing graft charges over the allegedly overpriced P1.1-billion President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, has asked the court for leave to travel so he can join Ms Arroyo’s delegation.

But while hordes of officials, legislators and businessmen are scrambling to join Ms Arroyo on this trip, only a few will actually get to press the flesh of the popular US president.

Arroyo plus 5

Only Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, Ambassador to Washington Willy Gaa, and possibly, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles, will be joining Ms Arroyo at the meeting with Obama.

“Only the President plus five will meet President Obama at the White House,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said.

But he said this was not yet final, though “that is the ideal number.”

Ms Arroyo, the first Asian leader to meet with Obama, leaves next Wednesday for Washington via San Francisco.

“The President will push for increased market access for our goods and services, many of which come from Mindanao, including mangoes, tuna, milkfish, seaweeds, and possibly, technical assistance to Sulu and Tawi-Tawi sea farmers, bananas, etc.,” Remonde said.

US business leaders

Ms Arroyo will also meet with US business leaders on Thursday in Washington, where she will make a pitch for the Philippines as an “ideal location for increased US investments,” he said.

She will meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, members of the House ways and means committee and leaders of the Philippines-US Friendship Caucus, composed of lawmakers.

She will also attend a forum on the Coral Triangle hosted by the National Geographic.

She will hold a dialogue on the Millennium Challenge Account, take a call from Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs Eric Shinseki, meet with other senators, have dinner with the Filipino community on Friday.

New York, Chicago

On Saturday, Ms Arroyo and her delegation will leave for New York for a series of meetings with various US multinationals. From there she goes to Chicago to meet with US industrialists and the Filipino community.

The next day, she and her party will proceed to Guam for a meeting with state officials and the Filipino community. She will be back in Manila on Aug. 5.

Some 100 members of the Concerned Citizens Movement trooped to the US Embassy Friday to ask Obama to tell Ms Arroyo that his government does not support governments that do not comply with democracy and respect human rights.

Letter to Obama

The group, led by lawyer Harry Roque and former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, said the protest was aimed at making Obama aware of the Filipino people’s sentiments before his scheduled meeting with Ms Arroyo.

Roque said his group will be sending Obama a letter expressing these sentiments. He said Pelosi will be personally taking the letter to the White House. (With a report from Jeannette I. Andrade, inquirer.net)
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On July 21, 2009 at around 4:55 in the afternoon along San Nicolas corner Diez Street, Barangay Taft, Surigao City, two male suspects identified as Messon Miranday Febra, 39 years old, married, tricycle driver and a resident of P-2, Brgy San Juan, Surigao City and Jason Ravelo Malto, 19 years old, single, tricycle driver and a resident of P-3, Brgy Canlanipa, Surigao City, who were caught in the act engaged on illegal gambling locally known as "Bale-Bale" were apprehended by elements of Surigao City Police Station (SCPS) led by investigation officer PInsp Renel Estrada Serrano.

Confiscated from their possessions were gambling paraphernalia, bet money amounting to three hundred eighty pesos (P380.00) paper bills in different denominations and two pieces twenty five-centavo coins.

Suspects are now temporarily detained at SCPS for proper disposition. (PNP-13)

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Sa nasayran karon nga bulan, gi selebrar sa tibuok nasud ang National Disaster Conciousness month diin ubay-ubay nga mga kalihukan ang gipahigayon sa kasamtangang pangagamhanan ug usa na niini mao ang pagpahigayon sa usa ka Tree Planting Activity karong Hulyo 24, 2009 sa may alas 8 sa buntag dinhi sa Provincial Forest Park ning atong dakbayan agig pagtak-op sa maong selebrasyon.

Ang maong kalihukan pagasalmutan sa tanang mga empleyado sa Kapitolyo nga pagapanguluhan sa batan-ong gobernador, Gov. Robert Ace Barbers uban ang iyang kaabag, Vice-Gov. Noel P. Catr, mga miyembro sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan, mga Department Heads ug ang ilang mga assistants.

“Akong gi awhag ang tanang empleyado ug pait na usab ang tibuok katawhang Surigaonon nga atong batunan ang pagpananom sa mga kahoy tungod nakahatag man kini ug dakong tabang sa panahon sa ting-ulan. Gikinahanglan gayud kining mga kahoy sa atong katilingban tungod kay gawas sa isa sa mga tinubdan sa panginabuhi-an, ang mga dagkong kahoy makatabang man aron nga ang katawhan mahilayo sa peligro ug possible nga mga disgrasya sama sa landslides,” nagkanayon si Gov. Ace Barbers.

Gipanghinaut sa Gobernador nga ang maong kalihukan magmalampuson ug mabungahon. Dako ang iyang pagsalig nga ang tanang katawhan mosanong niining maong panawagan pinaagi na sa paghatag sa ilang tiunay ug hugot nga suporta niini. Ang maong kalampusan dili mahitabo kung isalig lamang tanan sa gobyerno, gikinahanglan usab ang pagtambayayungay ug ang hiniusang kooperasyon gikan sa tanan. (PGO-Surigao del Norte Media Bureau)

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I was supposed to attend both, but missed out on the former as my son Jandy still had classes on the day of the parade (June 27). The latter’s parade, held on June 29, the day after our arrival, was still worth the visit. This cultural festival was first created by former First Lady Imelda Marcos in 1974, but was discontinued after 1986. After an absence of more than two decades, it was revived last year by Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, Imelda’s nephew. Sangyaw is derived from the Waray word meaning “to herald the news.” This year’s parade promised to be extra special, as it was the 120th celebration of the Fiesta of Santo Niño de Tacloban (the city’s patron saint), plus Tacloban also just became the first city in the Eastern Visayas region to be classified as a highly urbanized city. As with previous parades, our grand-view deck for watching the three-hour, 3-kilometer-long afternoon parade was Avenida Veteranos, packed since early morning with thousands of onlookers lining up to watch this unprecedented display of pomp and revelry.

Seventeen contingents from different provinces and cities, especially from the Visayas and Mindanao, graced the festival’s street-dancing competition, with cash prizes, for the Open or Free Interpretation Category, plus trophies. Featured were the Sinulog Festival of Cebu City, the MassKara Festival of Bacolod (Negros Occidental), the Cocowayan Festival of Isabela de Basilan City, the Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City, Bonok Bonok Marajaw Karajaw Festival of Surigao City, the Pattaradday Festival of Santiago City (Isabela), Kawayan-Banigan Festival of Basey (Samar), Magayon Festival of Legazpi City (Albay) and Tacloban City’s Tribu Kabatuk (last year’s grand-prize winner).

The Bonok-Bonok Maradjaw Karadjaw Festival, represented by Surigao City’s West Central Elementary School, grabbed all four minor prizes (P50,000 each) in the open category (best in costume, best in musicality, best in street dancing, and best in choreography) plus the P500,000 grand cash prize. Second place (P300,000) went to the Kawayan-Banigan Festival and third place (P200,000) went to the Pataraday Festival.

In the community- and school-based category (with 10 participating contingents), best in costume (P10,000) went to the Alibangbang Festival of Dolina, and best in musicality, street dancing and choreography (P10,000 each) to the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU). The grand champion (winning P300,000) was EVSU. Second place (P150,000) went to Holy Infant College, and third place (P100,000) to Sagkahan.

The festival was also graced by many political luminaries, including Imelda Marcos and Sens. Manuel Villar (working the crowd on foot), Francisco “Kiko” Pangilinan and Juan Ponce Enrile (on a float with former actress and now city councilor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez, wife of the mayor and chairman of the City Tourism Council). Also present were Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., former Ilocos Norte congresswoman Imee Marcos, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando, former Surigao del Norte governor Robert Lyndon Barbers, Marikina City Mayor Maritess Fernando, Makati City Mayor Jejomar “Jojo” Binay, Surigao City Mayor Alfonso Casurra, Rep. Gilbert Remulla, Santiago City Mayor Amelita Navarro and Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama. Television and film luminaries, some riding on floats, included Karylle, Marian Rivera, Christian Bautista, Luis Manzano, Cesar Montano and Dingdong Dantes. Other floats included those of the winners of the Miss Tacloban 2009 beauty pageant.

Come nighttime, these same people who lined the streets for the parade also filled up Balyuan Barbecue Park and Amphitheater and the Tacloban City Convention Center, venues of concerts and other entertainment for the weeklong sociocultural festivities. Business was brisk, and hotels and inns were fully booked with tourists, both local and international, truly an indicator of the festival’s success and its worthiness of being returned to the tourist map. (Benjamin Layug, BM)
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The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has accredited and recognized only one political party in the entire Caraga Region composed of the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.

This surfaced Monday as Chairman Jose A.R. Melo issued a public reminder that the last day for filing of petitions for registration of political parties, whether national or local, is Monday, Aug. 17, 2009, pursuant to Comelec en banc Resolution No. 8646 dated July 14, 2009.

Melo said Aug. 17 is also the deadline for filing of petitions for registration of parties, organizations and coalitions under the party-list system of representation.

Comelec records showed that the only registered local political party in Caraga is Padajon Surigao founded by Rep. Francisco T. Matugas in 2006 and to which 18 municipal mayors in Surigao del Norte are now affiliated.

The mayors exodus to Padajon Surigao was reported to have loosened the grip of the once powerful clan of the late Sen. Robert Z. Barbers on Surigao del Norte politics.

Latest reports showed that Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Ace Barbers who used to be regarded as the last man standing in their family, has now only three mayors on his side from a total of 21 in the whole province. (E.T. Suarez, Manila Bulletin)
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The lack of such basic tourism facilities like pension houses and small hotels hinder the tourism development of remote communities, but people in the quiet town of Pilar in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte have solved this problem by accepting tourists through the home-stay program of the Department of Tourism (DoT).

When Pilar, which faces the Pacific Ocean and is famous for huge barracudas and schools of tuna in its waters hosted the first-ever International Game Fishing Tournament in 2008, the main problem of organizers was accommodations as there was none where tourists from overseas could stay in.

Made aware of the problem, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano immediately asked Pilar residents to participate in the DoT’s home-stay program, which allows homeowners to offer vacant rooms in their houses to tourists during festivals and other such events.

“I wish other local government units around the country will follow the home-stay program adopted by Pilar,” Durano told reporters. (Malou M. Mozo, MB)
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On July 16, 2009 at 6:00 in the evening at Purok-2, Barangay Marcelina, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur, a certain Romelyn Hedi alias “Lynlyn”, 8 years old, grade 2 pupil and resident of said place was abducted by the suspect identified as one Reynante Gonzales alias “Wali/Bali”, of legal age, a native of Dapa, Surigao del Norte and presently residing at said place.

After the incident, investigation and hot pursuit operation conducted by PNP elements of Bayugan Police Station led by PCINSP Rudy T Cuyop in coordination with Engineering Brigade, Philippine Army led by Sgt Giovanes Agarin together with Barangay Officials and the CVOs of Brgy. Odiong, Brgy. Labao and Brgy. Aguinaldo, all of Espranza, Agusan del Sur which resulted to the apprehension of the suspect on June 17, 2009 at 5:00 in the afternoon.

On July 19, 2009 at 5:30 in the morning, the dead body of the victim was found by the residents floating at Panaytay River, Purok-2, Barangay Marcelina, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur.

PNP elements of Bayugan Police Station together with City Health Officer proceeded to the area to take charge of the victim's remain for autopsy. Arrested suspect is now in the custody of Bayugan Police Station while case is now prepared for filing in court. Progress report to follow. (PNP-13/ PIA-Caraga)
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Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific (CEB) celebrates the first anniversary of its operations in Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (T3) on July 22, 2009 with a first-of-its-kind 50% off seat sale.

Passengers can avail of the 50% discount on all domestic and international flights from July 22 to 24, 2009. This is valid for travel from September 1 to November 30, 2009.

“CEB’s move to T3 has allowed the airline to grow continuously despite current global market conditions. Now, not only do we provide our passengers with the lowest fares, newest planes, most flights and destinations; we also operate from a world class airport.” said Candice Iyog, VP for Marketing and Distribution.

“Our first anniversary in T3 underscores the solid partnership between CEB and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA). The MIAA’s support has been instrumental in CEB’s expansion,” she added.

Passengers are advised to book their flights through www.cebupacificair.com, or CEB’s reservations hotlines (02)70-20-888 and (032)230-88-88, or their travel agent.

CEB, Asia’s third largest low-cost carrier, has flown nearly 36 million passengers since its inception in 1996. It now flies to 32 domestic destinations and 14 Asian cities from four hubs, utilizing the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines.
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The province of Surigao del Norte is one of the ten provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao regions identified to benefit from the road project under the Southern Philippines Provincial Road Maintenance Programor SPPRMP.

According to the Malacanang press report the program has a Provincial Road Maintenance Facility (PRMF) that provides P50 million each year to every beneficiary province for construction and repair of provincial roads over a five-year period.

The beneficiary provinces of the SPPRMP are Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and Surigao del Norte, in Mindanao; and Bohol and Guimaras in the Visayas.

The projects in the Visayas and Mindanao provinces will be funded with Aus$100 million (P3.5 billion) by the Australian government through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

By improving transport, the welfare of rural folks will significantly improve. It has been noted that provincial roads are the key links of rural communities to the national highway and eventually to the centers of trade and commerce, political administration, and health and educational services, among others, the report disclosed.

Apart from improving the road network, the program also seeks to strengthen each province's institutional capacity and governance system related to the provision and maintenance of provincial roads.

Within five years, the SPPRMP is principally expected to have rehabilitated at least 1,000 kilometers of provincial roads in the 10 provinces; improved access for over four million people to schools and health centers; and reduced transport costs.

Three more beneficiary provinces are still to be identified, the Malacanang press report disclosed.
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The Region 7 office of the Department of Tourism (DoT 7) has urged tourism stakeholders in Caraga Region to tap the booming tourism industry in Central Visayas to further promote the culture, destinations, and adventure offerings of Region 13.
DoT 7 Director Dawnie Roa, who led a contingent of tour operators for a familiarization tour of Caraga Region, said the Mindanao should take advantage of Cebu’s popularity, which she described as the gateway to southern Philippines.

“Let’s develop Caragal; Mindanao needs to be promoted and pushed (so) let’s link up,” said Roa during the fellowship with tour operators of Caraga Region, a new region in Mindanao composed of the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands

Roa said Cebu now has 384 domestic and 68 international flights weekly, reaching nearly all of the areas of the country, including regular flights to Butuan City, Caraga’s regional center. “We look forward to having strong cooperation between our two regions and tie up to propel Caraga,” said Roa.

The familiarization tour, which started Friday last week, provides a venue for Caraga tour operators to interact with Cebu tour operators and discuss the different destinations and tourism offerings of Caraga.

The Cebu tour operators, Roa said, can include Caraga region in their tour packages offered to international and domestic tourists coming to Cebu and other destinations around Central Visayas. (Manila Bulletin)
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The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Caraga Regional Office with its newly-organized General Alarm Band under the leadership of Regional Director FS/Supt. Warlito Daus will hold a mini-concert on Friday, July 17, 2009 at the Luneta Park kiosk this city.

This fire prevention campaign dubbed as “Musika Laban sa Sunog,” hopes to utilize the medium of music as an alternative approach of promoting awareness on the importance of fire prevention and fire safety measures in every household.

It was learned that the General Alarm Band is made up of firefighters from BFP regional office. They are to perform and hold live music entertainment in any places of public assembly in the region so that common people can see play with the infusion of fire prevention.

The General Alarm Band has prepared a number of popular songs for their mini-concert which will start at exactly 7 o’clock in the evening and will culminate at 10:00pm. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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THE GOVERNMENT will expand the coverage of its conditional cash transfer program next year beyond the poorest provinces in the country and increase the number of beneficiaries.

Vilma B. Cabrera, DSWD assistant secretary and head of the program’s management bureau, said yesterday that, starting January next year, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will reach out to poor households outside the 21 poorest provinces in the country and increase target beneficiaries to one million households from the 700,000 households this year.

Beyond the poorest provinces

"The President [Gloria M. Arroyo] a week ago ordered us to expand our coverage to a million households next year. Next year, we will also cover poor households out of the top 20 poorest provinces, so as to provide equity to the marginalized who are residing in affluent provinces," Ms. Cabrera said in a congressional oversight committee hearing yesterday in the House of Representatives.

Targeting

"We have already started our strategic targeting and identifying who the poor are and where they are located outside the poorest areas," she added.

"As of the moment, we are focusing on the top 20 [sic] poorest provinces, but we will evolve [sic] into that [expanded coverage] next year."

The 21 poorest provinces are: Masbate, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Island, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur, and Agusan del Norte.

Bigger budget needed

Ms. Cabrera said the planned program expansion would require a 40% increase from the current P10-billion budget allocation to service 700,000 households.

Total grants released as of June 30 amounted to P2.35 billion benefiting 363,338 households, she said.

The poorest households were chosen according to socioeconomic indicators like ownership of assets, type of housing units, level of educational attainment of the household head, as well as access to water and sanitation facilities.

Each household must have a maximum of three children aged 6- to 14-years old to be entitled to a monthly cash transfer of P300 a month.

An additional P500 a month will be allocated for the qualified family’s health expenses.

No dole-out

Ms. Cabrera said that the department will conduct an initial impact assessment of the program in January next year.

In that review, the department aims to determine if the cash transfers yielded expected results, particularly if living conditions of the covered households have improved, or if the program made some dependent on dole-outs.

"We will make an evaluation to find out if the program is contributing to the upliftment of their [poor] living conditions or if they are merely relying on the cash transfers to get by," Ms. Cabrera said.

"We will also assess if we need to extend the program or stop implementing it after said time allotment." — JFSV, Business World
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Padayon ang gihimong imbestigasyon sa Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Caraga sa duha nila ka sakop sa Surigao City nga gilambigit sa pagdagit sa usa ka Indian national.

Gi-relieve na usab karon sa ilang puwesto sila si P03 Nomer Sabacan og P02 Jessie Rama nga floating sa regional office.

Matud ni CIDG-regional director SUPT Warren de Leon, migawas sa inisyal nila nga imbestigasyon sa duha ka pulis nga wala matud pa nila gidagit ang nahisgutang langyaw og ila lamang kining giimbitahan aron matubag ang pipila ka mga pangutana.

Gidugang pa sa opisyal nga gipasakaan na og kasong carnapping with robbery extortion sa Surigao City Police Office ang duha ka pulis og isunod na sa CIDG-Caraga ang pagpasaka usab og kasong administratibo. (Lantawan)

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The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) conferred the CDCC of Surigao the Gawad KALASAG as Best City Disaster Coordinating Council in Caraga Region for CY 2009in recognition of the excellent efforts and accomplishments of CDCC-Surigao in the implementation of disaster management programs and activities in the recently held Gawad KALASAG Awarding Ceremony last July 10, 2009 at Goat-2-geder Hotel and Restaurant, Butuan City.

KALASAG, which stands for Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan, is annual recognition of an individual or institution for excellence in disaster management and humanitarian assistance sponsored by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

This award was third in a row for Surigao City since participating the search in 2007, making the city a Grand Slam winner in the Caraga Region (2007, 2008 & 2009} under the leadership of Hon. City Mayor Alfonso S. Casurra.

Receiving the KALASAG Award (comprised of plaque of recognition and check worth P10,000.00) from the RDCC Chairperson and PNP-13 Regional Director, Chief Supt. Jaime Elorita Milla and RDCC Executive Officer and OCD-13 Regional Director, Dr. Blanche T. Gobenchiong, was Mr. Isidro Elumba, the Team Leader of Surigao City’s Quick Action Response Team (QART) together with the active members of the QART.

The Regional Gawad KALASAG Awarding Ceremony was timely held in celebration of the National Disaster Consciousness Month (NDCM) this July 2009. (Halan B. Besario, CPDO, surigaocity.gov.ph)

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Tungod sa tumong ug tinguha ni Gov. Ace Barbers nga mapanalipdan ang katawhang Surigaonon batok na sa mga nagkalain-laing sakit nga mitumaw sa katilingban labi na kining gitawag nga lifestyle related diseases, ang Provincial Health Office mipahigayon sa ilang Program Implementation Review niadtong adlaw nga Huwebes, Hulyo 9, 2009 didto sa Provincial Convention Center ning atong dakbayan.

Sa nahibaw-an ang mga nag-unang hinungdan sa kamatayon sa pipila nato ka mga igsuon dinhi sa probinsya mao kining mga sakit nga nakuha gikan sa mga naandang mga bisyo sama sa pagpanigarilyo ug sobra nga paggamit sa ilimnong makahubog. Tungod niini, ang probinsya pinaagi sa PHO ubos sa pagpangulo ni Dr. Audie Relliquette mihimo ug usa ka tigum aron na sa pagreview sa mga public health programs sa matag munisipyo kung kini hugtanon bang gipatuman sa nagkadaiyang lungsod kay tungod ang maong mga programa nakahatag man ug dakong tabang aron sa pagpakgang sa maong mga sakit.

Tumong usab sa maong kalihukan ang paghatag ug mga technical assistance sa tanang mga mas nanginahanglang lungsod, pagpaambit sa mga maayo ug epektibong stratehiya sa mga nagkadaiyang high-performing LGU ug pati na usab ang paghimo sa uban pang inisyatibo nga makapalambo sa natad sa paghatag ug de kalidad nga serbisyo sa tanan katawhan.

Ang maong tigum gitambungan sa nagkadaiyang Health Offices sa probinsya, mga DOH representatives, municipal health officers, public health nurses, rural sanitation inspectors, non-government organizations ug uban pang mga health personnel dinhi sa atong dakbayan. (PGO-Surigao del Norte Media Bureau)



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Despite being a non-Tagalog speaking area, the Caraga Region in Mindanao topped the national reading test (RT) in Filipino conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The Reading Test (RT), utilizing appropriate reading evaluation instruments including actual oral reading, was administered to all Grade 3 pupils in over 30,000 public elementary schools in over 175 provincial and city schools divisions in l7 regions in consonance with DepEd’s “Every Child A Reader” (ECAR) program.

The program, initiated by the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE), provides that every pupil should have acquired the basic skills in reading by the end of Grade 3.

Yolanda Quijano, BEE director, said the education department implemented the ECAR plan because of the importance of reading in the academic advancement of children not only in grade school but also in the secondary and tertiary levels.

DepEd statistics showed that Caraga registered the highest Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of 78.26 in the RT in Filipino.

Southern Tagalog-B (Mimaropa) registered an MPS of 74.52 while its twin region of Southern Tagalog-A (Calabarzon) got an MPS of 68.64 to place second and third, respectively.

Significantly, Caraga— composed of the schools divisions of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Butuan City, Siargao and Surigao City - also topped the national RT in English with an MPS of 77.88.

According to DepEd data, the other regions and their respective national reading examination MPS were: Ilocos, 69.59; Central Luzon, 66.09; Eastern Visayas, 64.45; Zamboanga Peninsula, 62.76; Cordillera Administrative Region, 60.38; Southern Mindanao, 56.57; National Capital Region, 55.95; Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 55.49; Northern Mindanao, 54.40; Central Visayas, 54.38; Bicol, 54.28; Central Mindanao, 54.05; Western Visayas, 52.30; and Cagayan Valley, 52.12. (philstar.com)


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The dream of a nautical highway, linking thousands of islands throughout the archipelago, is slowly taking shape.

For years, policy-makers have been talking about a waterborne transportation system that will facilitate cost-efficient flow of merchandise goods and unlock the huge potential for tourism offered by the country’s beautiful coastal towns.

The state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines, a strong supporter of this vision, is keen not just in funding key logistics projects but also in promoting roll-on roll-off (Ro-ro) ships as an attractive alternative for sightseeing backpackers.

Over the last four years, it has been holding “Ready Get Set Ro-ro” – an inter-island race patterned after the “Amazing Race” on cable television.

Every year, hundreds of young men and women vie for limited slots and get a shot at winning the P1-million grand prize. In that race, those lucky enough to join will get to sail to summer hotspots, meet new friends and watch their adventures aired on national TV.

This year’s six-day race saw 30 participants divided into 10 teams, drumming up attention in every port, from the time they boarded and disembarked from the Ro-ro to the execution of various mental and physical challenges.

Drinking in the local flavor

“This is, in fact, the essence of the race – to promote and boost trade and tourism through the use of the Ro-ro terminal system and the nautical highway,” DBP president Reynaldo David said during the awarding ceremonies of this year’s race held in May.

“The Ro-ro certainly appeals to tourists who want to make the most of their vacations. Not only is it cheap, but the Ro-ro allows tourists to visit as many cities and villages as they want, drink in the local flavor, steep themselves in the rich cultures and traditions of our provinces, enjoy the breathtaking scenery of our islands. They can just bring their car and park it inside a Ro-ro vessel,” he said.

Ro-ro vessels are designed to carry vehicles from one island to another. Automobiles, trucks and even railroad cars roll on or off the ship using ramps that are lowered when the vessel comes to port.

Traders may also get to reduce distribution costs by shipping their goods via Ro-ro vessels to any point in the country.

“It’s cheap, convenient and it certainly makes good business sense to ship your cargo rather than fly them, for instance,” David said. “This is the beauty of the Ro-ro, which we are highlighting through this inter-island race. With the Ro-ro, we are providing our countrymen with a cheap and convenient alternative to travel [these islands].”

Island-hopping

This year, the competitors started the race in Siargao, the country’s surfing capital. Then they hopped to Surigao del Norte before heading north to Leyte. In the course of the six-day race, they had to board Ro-ro vessels no fewer than nine times to get to Cebu, Negros, Panay and Mindoro. Last stop was Batangas in Luzon.

This year’s grand prize was bagged by a team led by 32-year-old sportscaster/commercial model Reema Chanco. The two other members of her team “Beach Hotshots” were cousins Jamielyn Ira Dy, 23, and Jethro Lloyd Tan, 24.

Team “Aquaholics,” composed of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Teen edition Season 2 finalist Josef Elizalde and running photographers Trisha Halili and Lea Aspe, clinched second place with P500,000. Team “Wave Catchers” with “Streetboys” member Danilo Barrios and Cebuano lawyers Mike Gatchalian and Tine Naranjo took third place for a P300,000 win.

Team “Summer Breezers” with “I love Betty La Fea” star Thou Reyes and girl buddies Chal Lontoc-del Rosario and Joei Calixto got fourth place, while fan favorite team “Fun Explorers” with surfer dudes JP and Aston Sarmiento and PBB Teen Edition housemate Nicole Uysiuseng came in fifth, taking home P75,000.

Other celebrity participants this year were former Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Season 1 housemate Cassandra Ponti, ABS-CBN artists Eda Nolan and Rodjun Cruz, Viva Hot Babe Hazel Cabrera, and Serena Dalrymple, a commercial model and former child star.

Catching crabs

From the opening ceremonies in Siargao, the teams raced to their first clue, mounted on top of poles which they had to climb. The clue led them to a fenced area where, in the Surigaonon tradition of harvesting crabs called “tikyabang,” the contestants had to catch 10 crabs.

From the crabbing pit, the teams had to race to the Siargao Inn for their next checkpoint There they had to eat 10 pieces of the local surfboard-shaped bread known as “Pan de Surf.” Then they’re off to the Jacking Horse surf site, where a team member had to paddle a long board.

Teams then rallied to the pit stop set at the Gen. Luna Church.

Day 2 was a long and event-filled day for the racers as they covered two legs.

After they were delayed for an hour in Ormoc due to a sudden downpour, the racers boarded the Super Shuttle Ferry to Camotes Island.

On board, they had to search the vessel for a set of puzzle pieces which they had to assemble to form a picture of the ferry.

Fish traps

Shortly after sunset, the racers landed on Camotes Island and took off for the next leg of the race. At the Buho Rock Resort, teams had to slide down to the pool, swim to the fish traps and transfer fish from the trap to their fish net. Then they had to climb back up to have the fish checked by a marshal before returning to the port for the pit stop.

The adventure continued in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, where teams had to run to the gymnasium and manually remove peanuts from their shells, and ride the “trisikad” to the People’s Park where they had to learn the basic steps of the Pintaflores Dance.

Then they had to race to city hall, which served as the pit stop for this leg of the race.

The island paradise of Boracay was the site of the fifth leg. The Caticlan port was the starting point for this leg, where racers had to ride the “paraw” from Caticlan to Station 2. There they had to paddle kayaks to three buoys to retrieve the money they would use to pay the entrance at Mt. Luho, the highest peak in Boracay.

Leg 6 was set in Matabungkay, where participants had to gulp down three cups of barako coffee at the local market, then wrestle with pigs for their next clue.

The race home

Then the teams had to get on a balsa and steer it to a point offshore before heading back to the beach.

From Matabungkay, Batangas, the five teams headed to Rizal Park for a final challenge.

Once at the park, the participants would have to trace the race route at the floating relief map of the Philippines.

After that, they proceeded to Reposo Street in Makati City for the final dash toward the pit stop at the DBP head office.

“More than the prize, it has been a rewarding experience to visit different provinces and get to know the people there and what they have to offer,” said Thou Reyes of team Summer Breezers.

The adrenaline rush, the heated competition, the camaraderie among participants, the breathtaking sights, the mouthwatering delicacies, the hospitality of local townsfolk and the adventure itself were just some of the things the participants would remember for a long, long time, David said.

The DBP executive is so pleased with the warm reception to this project that he wants to scale up the promotion of Ro-ro beyond the annual inter-island race.

He said the bank would soon publish pamphlets containing local inter-island Ro-ro routes, details on fares, island activities, suggested dining places and where to stay in a particular coastal hotspot. (inquirer.net)

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The new president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference is again a Mindanawon: Bishop Nereo Odchimar of the Archdiocese of Tandag in Surigao del Sur.

Odchimar, 68, a canon lawyer and presently CBCP vice president, won the votes of 86 out of 88 bishops present at the 99th Plenary Assembly of the Bishops’ Conference at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila Saturday, cbcpnewsonline reported.

Palo Archbishop Jose Palma, 59, will succeed Odchimar as vice president.

The term of office of the new officers begins in December 2009.

Odchimar will take over from Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo who served two terms as President, from 2005 to 2007 and 2007 to 2009, Lagdameo, on the other hand took over from Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, who served from 2003 to 2005. Capalla succeeded Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, who served two terms, from 1999 to 2003.

According to the CBCP’s website, Odchimar was born on October 16, 1940 in Bacuag, Surigao del Norte. He completed his Philosophy studies at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo, Leyte, and Theology at the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City and was ordained to the priesthood on December 19, 1964.

Odchimar was member of the clergy of the Diocese of Surigao from 1965 to 1977, and served in the parishes of San Agustin, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur; San Nicolas de Tolentino in Mainit and Sts. Peter and Paul in Tubud, Surigao del Norte; and St. Vincent de Paul in Mangagoy, Bislig, Surigao del Sur.

He pursued further studies at the University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary, where he obtained his Bachelors degree in Canon Law, magna cum laude (1982) and Doctorate in Canon Law, magna cum laude (1983). He also completed masteral studies in Business Administration at the De la Salle University in Manila.

In the Archbishop of Manila, he served in the parishes of Sto. Nino in Tondo, Most Holy Redeemer in Masambong, San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City, and San Roque Parish, Alabang, Muntinlupa.

At the time of his appointment as Bishop, he was parish priest of the Most Holy Redeemer parish in Quezon City, and Associate judge of the National Appellate matrimonial Tribunal and Judicial Vicar of the Metropolitan Matrimonial Tribunal of Cagayan de Oro.

As president of the CBCP, Odchimar will also chair its Permanent Council. The Council acts for and on behalf of the entire conference whenever the plenary assembly, which meets only twice a year, is not in session. The body may be convened by the CBCP president at any time.

The council is also mandated to work with the commissions and assign them functions of urgent character that were not taken up in the plenary.

One of the council’s main functions is to prepare joint statements or pastoral letters of the Catholic hierarchy on matters decided upon by the plenary assembly, provided that copies are sent to other members for comment and approval before they are officially released.

Odchimar and other members of the CBCP’s permanent council will start serving their terms in December 2009.

The president and the vice-president are elected for two-year terms and can serve for a minimum of two terms.

Elected to represent Mindanao in the Permanent Council are Zamboanga Arcbhishop Romulo Valles and Pagadian Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar.

In celebration of Earth Day (April 22) here this year, Odchimar joined a three-kilometer march into the municipality of Cantilan in Surigao del Sur, to condemn mining operations in the area.

Expressing his disappointment with the government, Bishop Odchimar said that he “felt betrayed upon learning that the Department Environment and Natural Resources had already issued Environmental Compliance Certificates to Marcventures Mining and Development Corporation and Carac-an Development Corporation (CDC) two months prior to having been assured of looking deeply into the watershed proclamation vis a vis mining in a dialogue with Sec. Lito Atienza." (MindaNews)
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After peace envoy, boxing champ Manny Pacquiao’s next title might just be tourism poster boy.

“Aside from brokering for peace, Pacquiao can help promote tourist spots in Mindanao,” Surigao del Norte Gov. Ace Barbers told reporters during the Daungan ng Balita sa Danarra Hotel in Quezon City yesterday.

Barbers said with Pacquiao’s popularity, he would make a good endorser for the country’s various scenic spots, such as those in his home province.

He added that negative publicity triggered by a series of bombings in several places resulted in the cancellation of tourists’ reservations for surfing in Siargao Island.

“Pacquiao’s popu­larity can help bring tourists back to the country,” Barbers said, adding that although they are still in the process of determining the number of tourists who withdrew from their planned vacation, their initial estimate is that the province will be losing several millions of pesos in potential revenues. – Perseus Echeminada, Philstar
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Gipanglantawan gayud ni Gov. Ace Barbers ang kabililhon sa katawhang Surigaonon labaw sa tanan tungod mas gihatagan niini ug igong panahon ang panghatag kalidad nga serbisyo kaysa pagpangandam o paghimo ug mga lakang alang sa umaabot nga eleksiyon.

Ubay-ubay nga mga programa ug mga kalihukan ang iyang gipahigayon hilabi na gayud ang mga programa nga makapalambo sa natad sa agrikultura diin atong nasayran nga dili palang dugay, siya mihimo ug mga inisyatibo nga makahatag ug dakong tabang sa mga mag-uuma. Kung atong madumduman si Gov. Ace mihatag ug mga tabang financial ug mga ekwipo sama sa Provincial Feed Mill ug 3-in-1 Corn Sheller alang sa tanang mga mag-uuma sa probinsya. Sa nagpadayon usab nga People’s day, makanunayon sa gihapon ang pang apud-apud ug mga organic fertilizers ug deworming drugs alang sa mga kahayupan.
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Matud pa sa gobernador, “Kung ang uban mihimo na ug mga lakang alang sa preparasyon sa lain na usab nga pamulitika, ang pangagamhanan sa probinsya, mas giprayoridad ang paghimo ug mga lakang nga makahatag ug kaayuhan sa mga katawhan. Unahon usa nato ang pagtrabaho ug pagserbisyo, kay mao man kini ang tumong ug tuyo sa atong pagpangatungdanan”. “Ako manghinaot nga sila magmata na sa kaligdong sa panirbisyo, tungod kay mao kini ang gilantaw ug mas gikinahanglan sa mga Surigaonon sa usa ka lider.”
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Daghan ang nakadayeg sa Gobernador tungod sa maong mga pagpaningkamot niini nga mahatagan ug dakong kausbawan ang panginabuhi-an ang matag Surigaonon. Tungod niini, nakita ug nasinati gayud sa tibuok katawhan ang tiunay nga pagpangalagad ni Gob. Ace Barbers uban usab ang hugot nga suporta sa iyang mga kaabag sa pagpanirbisyo. Nanghinaut ang katawhang Surigaonon nga ang ubang lider magiyahan usab unta sa maong mga gasa aron sa ingon nga sila usab makabuhat ug maayo sa katilingban dili kay mas unahon pa ang laing butang sama sa pamulitika ug ato usab nga huna-huna nga ang usa ka epekto ug episyente nga liderato. (PGO-Surigao del Norte Media Bureau)

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Sa kanunay'ng tinguha sa kasamtangang pangagamhanan sa probinsya sa Surigao del Norte ubos na sa pagpangulo ni Gov. Robert Ace Barbers nga matabangan ang tanang mag-uuma sa probinsya, mipasalig ang gobernador sa paghatag sa iyang hugot nga suporta sa mga programa nga makapalambo sa natad sa agrikultura pinaagi sa pagpahigayon sa 2009 Joint Provincial Agricultural Fishery Council-Rural Based Organization Farm Family Forum niadtong miaging semana, didto na sa Provincial Convention Center ning atong dakbayan.

Ang maong Farm Family Forum nga gipanguluhan sa Provincial Agriculture ug Provincial Veterinary Office ug may tema nga "Rural Based Organization's Affirming Commitment to Sustainable Development," gitambungan sa nagkadaiyang local government units, mga nagkalain-laing tulunghaan sa lalawigan ug mga agricultural ug fisheries associations sama sa PAFC, FA, RIC ug 4-H.

Sa samang higayon, gihimo usab ang ubay-ubay nga mga kompetisyon sama sa Vegetable Based Salad Contest, Rice Based Identification Technology, Poster Making Contest, Table Skirting Contest, Quiz Bee, Agri-Fishery PINAKA Contest nga mipili sa pinakadako nga papaya, alimango ug isda sa probinsya, Extemporaneous Speaking Contest, Singing Solo Contest ug ang haylayt sa maong kalihukan mao ang pagpasidungog sa mga Provincial Gawad Saka Outstanding Winners nga mao sila:

1. Mr. Gerry R. Moreno nga naggikan sa Brgy. Dugsangon Bacuag, SDN nga maoy Outstanding Integrated Rice Farmer/Regional Gawad Saka Outstanding Winner (Outstanding Integrated Rice Farmer).
2. Mr. & Mrs. Rene T. Cabajes nga taga Himamaug sa Lungsod sa Taganaan, SDN nga maoy Outstanding Farmer/Fisherfolk Family.
3. Engr. Pontius Q. Gogo nga lumulupyo sa San Pedro, Alegria, SDN nga maoy nahimo nga Outstanding Agricultural Entrepreneur.

Mapasalamaton ug malaumon si Gov. Ace Barbers nga magpadayon unta ang kadasig ug ang kooperasyon nga gipakita sa tanang mga mag-uuma agig pagsuporta sa tanang mga kalihukan nga makahatag ug dakong tabang diha kanila. Dugang pa niini, iyang gibutyag nga siya nanghinaut nga ang mga bag-ong Provincial Gawad Saka Outstanding Winners ug ang mga migawas nga mga manana-og sa matag kompetisyon, mamahimong maayung ehemplo ug inspirasyon diha sa tanan aron nga makab-ot gayud sa katawhang Surigaonon ang tiunay nga kalamboan dili lamang sa tagsa-tagsa nila ka panginabuhi-an kung dili pati na sa tibuok katilingban. (PGO-Surigao del Norte Media Bureau)


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MANILA is set to get its loan from the French government anytime this month to build dozens of modular ports all over the country, but Malacañang will have to decide where to place these facilities.

Philippine Ports Authority general manager Oscar Sevilla said they expect the €170-million government-to-government loan, or about P11.7 billion, to be released anytime this month or in August by French bank BNP Paribas.

Sevilla said the PPA needed quick approval and disbursement of the loan as it will build an initial six ports this year, and these should be done before the election ban on government infrastructure projects that will set in by November this year.

“We have submitted to Malacañang a list of areas where we intend to build the port. It is up to them [President Arroyo] where will they place them [modular port],” Sevilla said.

He said the PPA is looking at a total of at least 72 ports that will be rolled out in the next four years.

“We have submitted the list of 66 areas which need new ports and 44 ports for improvement,” he said.

The PPA said it is the only agency that will implement the project, since the Department of Transportation and Communications is the main proponent of the loan in behalf of the Philippine government.

The provinces that were earlier identified to set up modular ports include Isabela, Aurora, Pangasinan, Quezon, Romblon, Mindoro, Cavite, Palawan, Masbate, Albay, Eastern Samar, Surigao del Norte, Davao and Cotabato.

The idea of rolling out of modular ports was hatched during the visit of President Arroyo to Spain in 2007. The loan was supposed to come from the Spanish government, in the form of official development assistance, but Sevilla said the plan fizzled out.

Most of the structures of the modular ports are made of steel and the ramp can be adjustable. It can be built within one to two months depending on the size, with each facility costing between P50 million and P150 million.

The PPA said the port can last between 30 to 50 years.

Such technology is relatively newer in the industry as only a few countries are using it, which includes Russia, Sevilla said.

“It’s cheaper because I remember our ports from JBIC [Japan Bank for International Cooperation] cost about P150 million per port,” Sevilla earlier said.

BNP Paribas opened a representative office in Manila in 1975, and two years later it became a licensed offshore banking branch.

The BNP Paribas Manila offshore branch offers a broad range of products and services to its institutional clients, including interest-rate and foreign-currency hedging, bond underwriting, loan syndication, project finance, leverage and acquisition finance, and commodity derivatives.

Its Manila branch takes full advantage of BNP Paribas’s worldwide network, the company said on its web site. (Business World)
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Value-airline Cebu Pacific (CEB), the country’s largest domestic airline is offering a seat sale for as low as P488 to boost inter-island travel for August and September.

The seat sale runs from July 8 to 11, 2009 and is valid for travel from August 1-September 30, 2009.

CEB offers a P488 ‘Go lite’ fare to passengers traveling from Manila to Kalibo and Virac, Cebu to Bacolod and Roxas, and Davao to Cagayan de Oro.

The airline extends a P688 ‘Go Lite’ fare for flights from Manila to Roxas, Cebu to Cotabato, General Santos, Siargao, Legazpi and Ozamiz, and Davao to Iloilo and Zamboanga.

Moreover, a P1,188 all-in promo fare is available for for flights from Manila to Butuan, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, Davao, General Santos, Ozamiz and Zamboanga.

“Our wide connectivity across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, combined with our very low fares and newest planes, will spur continued growth for the travel and tourism industry. We hope that this limited offer will encourage everyJuan to take time to see various islands of the Philippines,” said Candice Iyog, CEB VP for marketing and distribution.

Passengers with checked-in baggage will just add P200.

Iyog also encouraged passengers to book their flights through CEB’s website, www.cebupacificair.com, or call reservations at (02)70-20-888 and (032)230-88-88.

Now on its 14th year, CEB has the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines at an average of less than 1.9 years. It flies to 14 international cities across Asia and 31 domestic destinations using 21 Airbus aircraft and eight ATR aircraft.
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THE MINERAL output of Philex Mining Corp. increased by a third to 750,617 dry metric tons in June from the month before, the listed miner told the stock exchange yesterday.

The Padcal mine in Benguet produced 366,874 grams of gold, 1.431 million kilograms of copper and 352,842 grams of silver, higher than the May output of 272,522 grams of gold, 1.078 kilograms of copper and 260,181 grams of silver. The provisional value of the mineral output rose by a third to P895 million — P534 million for gold, P353 million for copper and P8 million for silver.

Philex Mining, the country’s biggest miner, owns the Padcal copper and gold project in Benguet, which is expected to be exhausted in less than six years. The company expects to start operation in its Boyongan gold and copper mine in Surigao del Norte by 2014 to sustain operations for up to 20 more years. Philex Mining shares increased to P7.40 apiece yesterday from P7.10 late last week. (Business World)
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A newly formed environmental watch group today warned people and authorities while encouraging moral and religious sectors of Caraga Region to wake up to spearhead massive information drive on the mass environmental destruction will cause if the much ballyhooed $3B Sumitomo-led venture to build one of the biggest if not the biggest nickel ore processing plant in the country in Taganito, Claver, Surigao del Norte pushes through.

BUKAS or Buklod Kapatiran Para Sa Kalikasan Executive Director Atty. Erlpe John Plaza Almirante claimed the plan to build the nickel ore processing at the seaside portion of Barangay Taganito in Claver town some 130 kilometers away from the region’s capital, Butuan City but near to Surigao City will ultimately pollute the whole seawaters of the Placer and Taganito Bay and eventually will spread to other coastal areas to reach as far as sea boundary of Surigao del Sur.

“We can expect if not properly plan massive fish kills, massive deadly toxic poisoning will ultimately destroy sea corals and marine life and pollute air that breathes life to plants, animals and human beings living near the huge ore processing plant, in short, it will be mass environmental destructions if concerned government agencies will sleep on their task to make sure no toxic leak from the biggest ever built ore processing plant whose life span is 25 to 30 years” Almirante said.

Almirante said that the sad part of Philippine Governance to honestly protect environment is that it always have dismal records of failures after failures and yet nobody until now have been prosecuted because of proven wrong doings.

Almirante name a few of dismal government agencies’ records in honest to goodness implementation of environmental laws.

Almirante cited the recent Butuan Watershed controversy whereby recent initial findings by government composite team that claimed there is positive illegal mining and illegal road construction in the area.

“And yet these government agencies still will tell us that it is not yet final and that regional directors will review that findings, for heaven’s sake, what is the use of sending their personnel if the regional directors will not believed on them, wouldn’t it implied that those 15 government personnel who went to Butuan watershed are liars?”, Almirante.

Almirante also cited the Tubay Mining controversy where countless violations were noted like why the permit was small-scale yet operations were big scale, the area was protected yet the very same people who said it is protected reverted the law and allowed the mining.

He also cited the Rosario, Agusan del Sur mining controversy where recorded toxic waste spillage from no permits at all gold and other ore processing plants were allowed to operate until now and worst culprits remained scot-free.

He also cited alleged rampant technical smuggling of bullions of gold ores produce from Agusan del Sur and other gold producing areas in Caraga Region sold to Davao Black market for decades now instead to Central Bank where Philippine Government should have been benefited.

“This is public knowledge and it is economic sabotage in the highest form but what is these government agencies doing?”, Almirante concludes.

BUKAS Secretary Anita Dominguez said that if Caraga experience happened in other countries said government officials and all personalities in worst environmental destruction ever could have been behind jails now.

“But in this country where there is perceived corruption in justice system and bureaucracy, a mentally normal person could not expect real justice that’s the reason we are now relying support from normal people”, Dominguez added.

The two NGO officials clarified they are not against development but claimed they are against implementation of the policies guided by wrong men holding high positions whose motivations they alleged are self-serving not for the greater welfare of the majority.
Earlier, the Japanese Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd. and local holding firm Nickel Asia Corp. announced it will put up a $3-billion nickel ore processing plant in Taganito, Claver, Surigao del Norte next year.

Nickel Asia Corporation owns Taganito Mining Corporation who have been operating in Claver town for decades now has still unsolved controversy with the Indigenous People in the area who owned the ancestral lands where three other mining firms including Taganito operates.

The joint venture partners will operate the nickel processing plant by 2013, Rogelio G. Cadano, technical services manager of Taganito Mining Corp., said yesterday in a presentation to Mines and Geosciences Bureau officials.

The $1.7-billion investment target set by the venture last year was almost doubled to $3 billion this year given an increase in expected mineral production to 45,000 metric tons of nickel per year, with 4,500 metric tons of cobalt, from the original 30,000 metric tons per year.

The ores to be processed will come from a 1,000-hectare nickel mine in the municipality of Claver in Surigao del Norte, Mr. Cadano said.

“The joint venture company with Sumitomo should be formed by the end of this year or early next year,” said Antonio K. Espeleta, vice-president for operation of Taganito HPAL Nickel Corp.

Taganito Mining a subsidiary of Nickel Asia. Sumitomo subsidiary Taganito HPAL will operate the $3-billion project.

Nickel Asia operates nickel mines Rio Tuba, Taganito in Surigao del Norte, Taganaan in Surigao City, and South Dinagat and Cagdianao in northern Mindanao.

“The Sumitomo group is preparing the feasibility study but there was a re-scheduling so it will be completed late this year or early next year,” Mr. Cadano said.

The Sumitomo-led venture will employ 4,000 workers during the development phase.

The number of workers, however, will go down to 1,300 during the 30-year operation to extract 150 million wet metric tons of nickel ore. Annual mining operation is estimated to cost $200 million.

The ores will be shipped exclusively to Sumitomo’s refinery in Japan, Mr. Espeleta said.

Bureau of Mines and Geo-Sciences Director Horacio C. Ramos is very much enthusiastic of the project. (mindanao.com)
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Some 30 communist rebels encountered anew joint operatives of the 30th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army headed by certain 1Lt. Punongbayan and Bacuag, Surigao del Norte Police headed by its Chief of Police P/Insp. Mariano Lukban Thursday in Barangay Camboayon, Bacuag, Surigao del Norte.

Bacuag Police in their report to Surigao del Norte Police Provincial Office here said the communist rebels were under Front Committee 16 that operates within Claver and Alegria towns covering at least five municipalities of Surigao del Norte.

Joint military and police reports claimed firefight lasted for ten minutes where the communist rebels suffered casualties that were dragged by their comrades as evidenced by bloodstains when they scampered for safety leaving a baby armalite, two claymore mines, hand grenade and three rifle grenades.

They claimed the fleeing rebels left improvised explosive device, paraphernalias, voluminous subversive documents and their personal belongings.

They added that there were no casualties in government side but scores wounded among NPA rebels.

The report also claimed hot pursuit operations were being made by the government troopers.

Earlier, the New People’s Army claimed the military and police reports were mostly exaggerated and were meant only for propaganda purposes claiming they couldn’t even show body counts.

Civil society wanted an end of what they described as “money making conflict” saying the communist rebels make money from getting protection money form illegal loggers, illegal miners in the hinterlands and legitimate mining and logging firms including business establishments thus it is “rebels without cause” or “zero ideology” after all.

While government troopers spend millions of hard-earned taxpayers money unaccounted much worst go to waste as it is also source of corruption and milking cow of promotions.

The Philippine Insurgency woes is the longest insurgency conflict not only in Asia but in the World today. (BS, Mindanao.com)
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Police Regional Office 13 (PRO-13) Regional Director PCSUPT Jaime E Milla has ordered Agusan del Sur Police Provincial Office headed by its Provincial Director, PSSUPT Antonio B Paguirigan, to create Task Force "Fetalvero" to conduct thorough investigation regarding the shooting to death of Barangay Kagawad Jonathan L. Fetalvero, 43 years old, married, a resident of Poblacion, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

Immediately after the incident, the victim was rushed to New Bayugan Doctors Hospital but was declared dead-on-arrival (DOA) by the attending physician. The responding police officers of Bayugan Police Station recovered one spent shell of cal.45 at the crime scene.

The victim was said to have some intermittent Disc Jockey job at the local radio program at Friendster FM radio station.

The investigation will include the activation of tracker teams with the assistance from the CIDG 13 and forensic artist to track down the lone gun man who shot the victim with a caliber.45 pistol on June 25, 7:30 in the evening while drinking inside a restaurant located at the vicinity of Rotunda, Barangay Poblacion, Bayugan City.

As a general policy of the organization, PRO 13 is mandated to solve the incident regardless of the nature of the victim's work. (PNP-13/PIA-Caraga)
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Santa Josefa Municipal Police Station in Agusan del Sur was harrassed by more or less 40 New People's Army (NPA) on July 1, 2009. According to reports reaching Police Regional Office 13, the incident happened at 9:15 in the morning and lasted only for ten minutes as the NPAs fled immediately to evade the arrival of other members of the police station who were earlier dispatched to respond to the request for assistance of the Principal of Santa Josefa National High School.

Carted away are three M16 rifles, one M14 rifle and one 9mm pistol of the policemen who were left in the station. No one was reported injured, missing or dead.

The policemen inside the police station were caught surprised and were not able to retaliate since there are many civillians inside the ABC Building beside the police station where other offices are housed.

Deceptively, the NPAs poised as army troops wearing camouflage uniform, parked their vehicle in front of the station and rushed inside. They also timed their raid during office hours in utter disregard of the safety of the innocent civilians.

Government troops from Agusan del Sur Provincial Mobile Groups, the 14th Regional Mobile Group and the Philippine Army immedaitely reinforced the beleaguered station.
Blocking points were set and pursuit operations are ongoing.

Security of vital installations in the area was also heightened. P/Chief Superintendent Jaime Eloreta Milla, Caraga Regional Director has directed the conduct of an in-depth investigation to determine whether Police Inspector Elizer Pido, Santa Josefa Chief of Police and his men have incurred administrative or criminal liability under the circumstances. He also ordered all police units to be extra vigilant and intensify intelligence gathering. (PSSUPT Nestor Monton Fajura, PNP-13/ PIA-Caraga)

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The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed charges against officers of a remittance company for allegedly failing to remit remittances of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to their respective relatives in the Philippines.

The Office of Deputy Director for Special Investigation Serves (DDSIS) headed by lawyer Victor A. Bessat filed violation of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code as amended in relation to Presidential Decree 1689 (syndicated estafa) against Josephine O. Alayon, general manager/treasurer of Far East Express Remittance Inc. (FEERI); Adan M. Ubando, chairman/president of FEERI; Jerome Ubando, incorporator; Lalaine Ubando, incorporator, Edwin Ong, incorporator; lawyer Roberto N. Dio, corporate secretary; and lawyer Ma. Pilar M. Pilares Gutierrez, corporate secretary.

The officers, through their counsels, filed their respective counter-affidavit, denying the allegations.

The charges stemmed from the complaint lodged by Adele Garcia, 32, government employee, Kabilugan St., Gulod, Novaliches, Quezona City, and Jovie Sanchez, 33, of Daywan Claver, Surigao del Norte.

Investigation conducted by Special Task Force (STF) under Head Agent Arnel Dalumpines showed that on August 15, 2008, Lea Garcia delos Santos who works as OFW in the United Kingdom went to Barclays Bank and sent remittance in the amount of 1,000 pounds (P86,400) to her brother-complainant Garcia via the account of FEERI/AJ Global Services Ltd. UK. The same was done by Nida Agote Sanchez who sent 1,192 pounds (P100,128) to her sister-in-law Sanchez. However, their relatives never received the money. (Jeamma E. Sabate, TEMPO)


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Air Philippines (AirPhil), the low-cost carrier of the Lucio Tan Group, started its daily jet service between Manila and Surigao Wednesday, July 1, 2009 replacing the 76 seater-turbo prop of PAL Express.

Air Philippines’ 118-seater Boeing 737-200 touched down at the Surigao City Airport around 10:15am, yesterday with its maiden passengers from Manila formally started its daily service operation to Surigao City as the province gateway.

Flight will depart Manila at 8:45am to arrive Surigao at 10:15am. The return flight will leave Surigao at 10:45am arriving Manila at 12:15pm. AirPhil operates at the new NAIA Terminal 3.

Gov. Robert Ace Barbers in his welcome remarks cited the entry of Air Philippines as a significant development for the province as it gears toward being one of the primary tourist destinations in the country.

Meanwhile, Capt. Edilberto Medina, AirPhil President and CEO said that with the full support of the LGU and the private sector he assured the Surigaonons that there will be no turning back.

“The Air Philippines, whether you like it or not there is no turning back, with the commitment of the government and the private sector we are now partners. I hope that with our presence here we can bring more prosperity to you all.”

Medina added that this is now the answer to the popular clamor of the locals for a more convenient and affordable transport service.

Medina also announced their plan of putting up flights from Cebu to Surigao using the turboprop of PAL Express. “We will start the Cebu-Surigao the soonest possible time. We are now on the final stage of preparation,” Medina concluded. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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