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General Santos City, Philippines - Archived News

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.

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:

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.
The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

13 colleges, universities in Region 12 raise tuition fees by 4-8%

Source: http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/46748-South-Cotabato,-Maguindanao-execs-set-meet-over-boundary-row.html
Thursday, April 26, 2012

By. (PNA) LAP/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 26 (PNA) – Thirteen private colleges and universities in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region are set to raise their tuition and other related fees by four to 10 percent starting June, an official of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said.

Dr. Zohrahaydah Panawidan, CHED Region 12 assistant director, said the 13 institutions were among the 222 nationwide that applied and granted approval earlier this month by the CHED central office to increase their tuition fees in the upcoming school year 2012-2013.

“As cited in their applications, they were raising their tuition fees to cover for the salary increases of their teachers and the improvement of their facilities and equipment,” she said in a radio interview.

Panawidan said a total of 16 colleges and universities in the region has applied for tuition fee increases by the March 31 deadline.

Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

But she said one institution later withdrew while the two others failed to complete their application requirements.

Panawidan said most of them applied for an eight percent increase but some also sought for 10 percent and four percent adjustments.

In this city, the colleges and universities that were raising their tuition fees were the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, Mindanao Polytechnic College, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial College and the General Santos Doctors Medical School Foundation.

They were joined by Notre Dame University in Cotabato City; Notre Dame of Salaman College in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat; Southern Christian College in Midsayap, North Cotabato; Central Mindanao College and Notre Dame of Kidapawan in Kidapawan City; and, St. Alexius College, King’s College of Marbel, Green Valley College Foundation Inc. and Regency Polytechnic College in Koronadal City.

Based on data from CHED central office, the average tuition fee increase it approved for the 13 colleges and universities in the region was around eight percent, which is equivalent to P28.81 per unit.

The new tuition fee increase practically raises the average tuition fee in the region to P400.78 from the previous P371.97.

“The increases are actually minimal when added to the old rates,” Panawidan said.

The official assured that the 13 colleges and universities have complied with the requirements set by the agency with regards to the setting of tuition fee increases, among them the consultations with their stakeholders.

She said they reviewed the applications of the concerned institutions before submitting them to the CHED central office.

South Cotabato, Maguindanao execs set meet over boundary row

Source: http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/46748-South-Cotabato,-Maguindanao-execs-set-meet-over-boundary-row.html
Wednesday, April 25. 2012

By. Allen Estabillo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Officials of South Cotabato and Maguindanao provinces are set to meet next week to discuss ways to resolve a worsening conflict among residents within their disputed boundaries.

South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. said Tuesday Maguindanao officials agreed to meet with them and work on a possible settlement regarding the delineation of the boundaries of Tantangan town in South Cotabato and Mangudadatu town in Maguindanao.

He said they will discuss during the meeting some interventions to help ease the tension among land claimants that already led to the killing of a resident of Tantangan town earlier this month.

Pingoy said Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu has signified to attend the proposed meeting, which is being finalized by both local governments.

“Gov. Mangudadatu and I had initial discussions on this matter and we both agreed that it’s time for us to settle this matter to avoid further bloodshed among the claimants,” the governor said.

Pingoy said the local government has requested the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conduct a survey and set delineation marks on the boundaries of the two municipalities.

He said they also asked the Department of Agrarian Reform to provide copies of possible documents pertaining to the disputed lands.

“We’re currently compiling the registry and assessment records, survey maps and other related documents concerning these lands. Hopefully, we can come up with some settlement and bring peace to the affected areas in Tantangan,” Pingoy said.

On April 9, a resident of Purok Maharlika in Barangay Poblacion of Tantangan was killed in an attack allegedly staged by a group of land claimants from nearby Mangudadatu town.

The victim, identified as Army T/Sgt. Fernando Patria, was on his way home from his farm when he was waylaid by about 20 armed men allegedly led by a certain Kumander Patotoy.

The local police believe the incident was an offshoot of a long-drawn conflict over vast tracts of farmlands in the area, including Patria’s palay farm.

Tension also escalated in the area in July last year, prompting the municipal government of Tantangan to elevate the matter to the Provincial Peace and Order Council.

Tantangan Mayor Arnold Garingo said his town already lost some 143 hectares of titled private lands due to alleged illegal occupation by claimants from the neighboring Mangudatatu town and Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat.

He said most of the lands that were annexed by the claimants were located in the lower portion of Barangay Poblacion and Barangay Cuyapo in Tantangan, comprising irrigated rice lands that stretch to the banks of Lake Buluan.

The mayor said the alleged "land-grabbing" activities started in 1994 and has worsened during the last several years.

He said some farmers in the area were forced to leave their lands supposedly due to threats of violence from the claimants, some of whom reportedly come from this city. (PNA)

LAP/AVE

South Cotabato cops note improved operations

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=421651
April 24, 2012, 7:36 pm

By. (PNA)

LAP/AVE/AC

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 24 (PNA) – Operations of police units in South Cotabato province significantly improved during the first three months of the year as they cleared over 73 percent of the crime incidents that occurred in the area.

Senior Supt. Randolph Delfin, South Cotabato police director, said they achieved a crime clearance efficiency rating of 73.33 during the first quarter, which increased by 20 percent from last year’s records.

Crime clearance efficiency refers to the percentage of cleared cases out of the total number of crime incidents handled by law enforcement agencies for a given period of time.

In terms of crime solution efficiency, he said they slightly improved their rating from 25 percent last year to 27.33 percent this year.

“Out of the 793 crime incidents that we handled, 494 were so far cleared and 218 have been solved,” Delfin said.

The police official said among their major accomplishment for the period was the recovery of 15 of the 23 motorcycles that were stolen within the province’s 10 towns and lone city.

He said they filed six cases on Monday against several identified carnapping or motorcycle theft suspects.

Delfin maintained that the province has remained generally peaceful and orderly as shown by the area’s crime statistics.

He said the average crime rate in the area during the first quarter of the year has gone down to 31.9 percent from the 35.7 percent in the same period last year.

In terms of illegal drugs, Delfin said they have so far arrested 33 suspects and launched 18 major operations in the area.

He said these operations have led to the recovery of some P5M worth of illegal drugs, specifically mehtamphetamine hydrochloride or "shabu" and marijuana.

The police official said they were able to arrest 75 persons with pending arrests warrants, including 18 who were facing illegal gambling charges.

Delfin added that they apprehended 12 suspects and recovered 18 high-powered arms in separate operations in Tantangan and Banga towns.

Gensan hosts Google Map Maker Summit Mindanao

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681335168407
Monday 23rd of April 2012

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 23 (PIA) --The Tuna Capital hosted Saturday another significant gathering of internet enthusiasts, the first ever Google Map Maker Summit Mindanao designed to “improve tourism and disaster preparedness in the country.”

City Media Affairs Officer, Avelmar Manansala disclosed that more or less 150 “mappers” composed of students, policemen, bloggers, representatives of the religious sector and the academe, local government unit’s (LGU) tourism and planning officers, and other stakeholders actively participated in the one day event.

“Google Map Maker is a product that enables people to add to and update the map for locations around the world,” said Aileen Apollo-de Jesus, Google Southeast Asia’s head of outreach.

Apollo-de Jesus explained that the summit is a joint project of Google and Department of Tourism (DOT) to “improve the accuracy of Google Maps in 80 provinces around the Philippines.”

Manansala said mapping Mindanao is very important since it will not only help in locating disaster-prone areas in the island to prepare for calamities, but will also “increase awareness in tourism-related spots.”

He said this will help tourists and even local residents to locate all the establishments in a certain area at any point in time that they search for its location using their mobile phones and other search gadgets.

“The more information you have about a certain place, the more it is enticing to visit that place,” he pointed out.

In General Santos City, Manansala revealed that there are over a hundred “active mappers” who are currently updating the latest Google Earth Map of the city by adding names of streets and photos of establishments to it.

He said Google chose Gensan to be the venue of the Mindanao Summit because it has “the most active community of mappers” in the area.

Manansala disclosed that the city government through Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio has recently intensified her administration’s computer literacy program through the conduct of trainings and seminars like Google Sketch-Up to aid in the said effort to map up the city and other areas in the region.

“We want to help map up the entire country so that nobody will be lost in the Philippines. This is also in support of the DOT’s campaign: It’s more fun in the Philippines,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Manansala said that Google is also encouraging interested LGUs and other local organizations to conduct their own local map ups or “mapping party.”

He said Google Map Maker Team Asia pledged to provide interested local communities with technical support and other help necessary for a successful conduct of similar event.

The Google Map Maker Summit Mindanao is in partnership with Soccsksargen bloggers or “sox bloggers” with brothers, Avel and Orman Manansala as the lead conveners.

Mindanao leaders to formulate policy agenda

Source: http://positivenewsmedia.com/blog/2012/04/mindanao-leaders-to-formulate-policy-agenda/
Apr 22, 2012

By. (PNA)

scs/BAC/mec

MANILA, April 22 (PNA) — Mindanao leaders are going to formulate policy agenda affecting the region’s competitiveness, develop solutions and ensure support from the national government. This would be spearheaded by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), which will gather inputs from the Mindanao regional business conferences of the PCCI. MinDA and PCCI will consolidate the results of this year’s consultations and use these to formulate the initial draft of a policy agenda for Mindanao. MinDA will provide the draft policy agenda by early June to concerned secretaries of the Aquino Cabinet, for them to review with their departments. The draft will be refined further at high-level roundtable discussions that will serve as a prelude to the 21st Mindanao Business Conference (MinBizCon), which will be held on August 2-4 in Butuan City. The event will allow Cabinet officials and the private sector to focus together on specific issues and bottlenecks affecting Mindanao’s competitiveness, and to develop appropriate commitments from government agencies, the business community and other stakeholders. The final draft of the Mindanao Business Policy Agenda will be presented to President Benigno S. Aquino III at the 21st MinBizCon. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, is also supporting the holding of the consultation meetings. USAID, through the GEM Program, provides assistance to business support organizations to help them implement development strategies that will improve the competitiveness of major industries in Mindanao. The broad-based regional consultations started on April April 18, covering the areas of western Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM); Cagayan de Oro City on April 24 for northern and eastern Mindanao; and General Santos City on May 8 for central and southern Mindanao. “These consultations are part of our continuing efforts in policy modification and advocacy to ensure that Mindanao imperatives in key sectors are addressed by the national government,” said MinDA Secretary Luwalhati Antonino. Issues pertaining to the power, agriculture, mining and transport sectors dominated last year’s discussions. “PCCI local chambers nationwide, through our regional governors and area vice presidents, provide our national board with inputs with which to formulate national policy positions,” said PCCI Secretary-General Crisanto Frianeza. “The Mindanao chambers are privileged to have an able partner in MinDA,” Frianeza said. “When the chambers come up with policy recommendations, MinDA assists not only in facilitating discussions but in providing inputs on how these recommendations can be refined.” “More importantly, the chambers and the government, through MinDA, readily find common ground and are able to push together for these recommendations,” he added. “We are working closely with PCCI in pushing for Mindanao-specific policies to create an environment conducive to business growth,” said Antonino. “We recognize the critical role played by the private sector in addressing our peace and development imperatives in the region,” he added.

Militants end anti-VFA protest in plaza named after US general

Source: http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/04/21/militants-end-anti-vfa-protest-in-plaza-named-after-us-general/
Saturday| April 21, 2012

By. Edwin G. Espejo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/20 April) – The symbolism was not lost on the Leftist militants who staged a week-long protest caravan that coincided with the holding of another round of joint military exercises between Philippine and US troops. On the day they ended their island-wide caravan that brought them to several cities south of Mindanao, they chose to find themselves in the middle of the plaza named after an American general who led a bloody war of attrition against inhabitants of the island at the turn of the 19th century. General John ‘Black Jack’ Pershing was a major in the US Army when he was sent “to suppress the insurrection” in Mindanao and Jolo in 1899. He saw action in Lanao during the Filipino-American War and was a hero in the American colonial war in Cuba before he was assigned to the Philippines. Pershing was also the regimental quartermaster of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the US Army which was immortalized by the late reggae master Bob Marley in his signature song ‘Buffalo Soldiers.’ Marley described the regiment as a US army unit which took in Cuban slaves to fight for America. Members of the Patriyotiko Mindanao kicked off their protest against the continued presence of American troops in the country on April 15 in General Santos City. They were joined by their fellow militants from Davao City in Cotabato City where a brief scuffle ensued allegedly involving a still unnamed soldier who punched a woman protester in front of the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division in nearby Awang, Maguindano. The protest caravan brought them to the cities of Koronadal, Pagadian and Ipil before finally winding up in Zamboanga City. The protesters who claimed their numbers have swelled to 4,000, arrived in Zamboanga City Wednesday evening. Philippine and US troops will hold joint military exercises in Glan, Sarangani in June as part of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the two countries. Glan, along with Zamboanga City, is one of the earliest settlement areas of the American occupation forces in Mindanao.

Mindanao blackouts worsen with Pulangi hydro plant rehab

Source: http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/04/20/mindanao-blackouts-worsen-with-pulangi-hydro-plant-rehab/
Friday| April 20, 2012

By. Allen V. Estabillo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The daily blackouts here and nearby South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces have stretched to four hours on Thursday as Mindanao’s power deficit increased to 276 megawatts (MW) due to the ongoing rehabilitation of the National Power Corporation’s (Napocor) Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant in Bukidnon. Engr. Joseph Yanga, South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) technical services supervisor, said they were forced to extend the rotating brownouts in the area to four hours from the previous three hours and 15 minutes due to the additional power supply cuts imposed by the Napocor and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). From its average contracted supply of 72 MW, he said Napocor further reduced the area’s allocation earlier this month to 54 MW or 51 MW short from its 105 MW peak requirement. Aboitiz-owned Therma Marine Inc. augments the area’s requirement by 30 MW based on a supply contract earlier forged by Socoteco II. “(But) for today, the Napocor is only giving us 45 MW. That leaves us short by 30 MW so we really have no other choice but extend the rotating brownouts,” Yanga told MindaNews. Based on an advisory issued by Socoteco II’s institutional services department, it would implement the rotating brownouts in four phases from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. based on the distribution of its 44 feeder stations. Socoteco II serves this city, the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato. NGCP imposed drastic load cuts since February due to the rising power supply shortage in Mindanao that reportedly stemmed from the dwindling capacity of the Napocor’s hydroelectric plants in Bukinon and Lanao del Norte. As of 6 a.m. Thursday, the NGCP said Mindanao’s system capacity only stands at 955 MW or 276 MW short from its peak demand of 1,231 MW. The electric cooperative, which has been implementing two-hour daily rotating brownouts since last month, initially issued an advisory increasing the power curtailments to three hours and 15 minutes last Tuesday until the end of the month due to the scheduled shutdown of the Pulangi plant to undergo a month-long repair and rehabilitation. Yanga said they have scrapped the previous advisory and will instead issue daily notices to its consumers due to the uncertainty of the Napocor’s power generation capacity. “The allocations from the Napocor and NGCP presently changes on a daily basis and there were also unanticipated supply fluctuations happening from time to time within the Mindanao grid,” he said. He cited, as example, the cutoff from the Mindanao power grid of the 55-MW bunker fired power station of the Southern Philippines Power Corp. (SPPC) based in Alabel, Sarangani that covers for a portion of the Napocor’s power supplies to the area. Yanga said they expect the area’s power situation to stabilize towards the end of May when the rehabilitation of Pulangi IV will be completed. By then, he said the Napocor committed to restore the area’s allocation to 72 MW and increase it further to 74 MW by July. In Davao City, Davao Light and Power Co. (DLPC) said it may result into a 30-minute daily power interruption if Napocor increases the load curtailment assigned to the distribution company.

DLPC has a 50MW diesel-fired standby power plant and has also purchased 30MW from the Sibulan and Tamugan hydro plants. DLPC and both the 26MW Sibulan and the 4MW Tamugan hydroelectric plants are owned by the Aboitizes. In a press statement Wednesday, DLPC said it will result into rotating brownouts once the deficiency in the Mindanao grid reaches 320MW. So far, Davao City has been spared by power interruptions. In Cotabato province, where the 100MW Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant is located, the rotating brownouts are even longer – from six to eight hours. The same situation is being experienced by Bukidnon residents. Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative (Buseco) general manager Edgar Masongsong said their supply from Napocor has been reduced to 8MW. He said they are now negotiating for an additional 7MW from Therma Marine Inc. on top of the 5MW they have already contracted. Daily load demand in his franchise area, however, is from a low of 17MW to 23MW. Masongsong said they now are forced to cut power supply from six to eight hours in the areas covered by their two sub-stations. In Iligan city, the Iligan Light and Power, Inc. had earlier announced a two-hour rotating brownout once Pulangi IV is shut down. But power interruptions started only today (Wednesday). In 2010, most of Mindanao also suffered from rotating brownouts of up to nine hours due to the prolonged dry season, when the water level in Lake Lanao dropped to below critical levels. Fifty-three percent of Mindanao’s power supply comes from the Agus and Pulangi hydroelectric plants, which have a combined installed capacity of more than 900MW. But their actual capacities were reduced to less than 600MW due to poor maintenance and heavy silt (in the case of Pulangi River). Business leaders and industry players have repeatedly warned that Mindanao will suffer massive power interruptions if no new capacities will be added to the existing available capacities by 2014. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews with reports from Edwin Espejo, contributor)

301 ALS teachers, students in Gensan complete computer literacy trainings

Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681334819798
Thursday 19th of April 2012

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 19 (PIA) -- Around 300 teachers and students from Department of Education's (DepEd) Alternative Learning System (ALS) formally completed Wednesday the series of trainings conducted by the office of the SHEEP-Computer Literacy Program (CLP) of the city government.

Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio distributed the certificate of completion to the graduates who actively participated in the six-month computer literacy trainings designed to give equal opportunity to the out-of-school youths (OSY) who are eager to learn and be competitive.

ALS Education Program Supervisor, Gregorio Ruales said that there are more or less 5,000 ALS learners in the city, but only those living in the “downtown area” have availed of the additional free trainings.

“Most learners in the far-flung barangays had hard time attending the trainings since most of them don't have the money to defray the costs of daily food and fare. Nevertheless, this will not stop us from imparting the knowledge to others who were not able to make it,” he explained.

Ruales disclosed that Mayor Custodio also promised to support the ALS e-learning by providing them with computer units which they could use to educate other ALS learners in the remote areas of the city like Barangays Upper Labay, San Jose, Mabuhay, and Siguel.

“The effort of the city government to train the out-of-school youths in information and technology (IT) is very timely so they will not be left out with the fast changing economy,” he added.

Meanwhile, SHEEP-CLP head, Percival Pasuelo said they have conducted a total of four trainings to ALS implementers since November last year which include: Audio-Visual Presentation using ProShow, Newsletter Designing and MagPress Training, Digital Image Manipulation and Tarpaulin Designing using PhotoShop, and Web and Video Blogging.

He disclosed that ALS learners were also taught Basic Computer Operations,and Invitation and Calling Card making using Microsoft Word which they can use for livelihood.

“We learned that after the trainings ALS learners are now working part time in internet cafe's and printing press,” Ruales said.

Daily outage in GenSan, nearby areas extends to 3 hours as Pulangi IV shuts down for rehab

Source: http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/46454-Daily-outage-in-GenSan,-nearby-areas-extends-to-3-hours-as-Pulangi-IV-shuts-down-for-rehab.html
Wednesday, April 18. 2012

By. (PNA)

LAP/FFC/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The daily rotating brownouts here and the neighboring areas rose to at least three hours Tuesday as the National Power Corporation (NPC) pushed through with the scheduled shutdown of the Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant in Bukidnon to facilitate its month-long rehabilitation. Geronimo Desesto, South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) institutional services manager, said in an advisory that they were implementing three hour and 15-minute rotating brownouts daily starting Tuesday as a result of the new power load cuts brought about by the Pulangi plant’s closure. He said they scheduled the power outages, which will run until April 30, in four phases based on the distribution of its 44 feeder stations. Socoteco II serves this city, the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato. Prior to the implementation of the new power curtailment schedule, Socoteco II had implemented two-hour daily rotating brownouts in the area due to the power supply cuts imposed by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP). NGCP imposed the load cuts due to the rising power supply shortage in Mindanao that reportedly stemmed from the dwindling capacity of the NPC’s hydroelectric plants in Bukinon and Lanao del Norte. Engr. Santiago Tudio, Socoteco I general manager, said the NPC shut down the Pulangi around 9 a.m. Tuesday based on an advisory issued by the NGCP’s substation in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat. He said the plant’s closure means an additional deficit of around 180 MW to Mindanao’s power supply mix during the peak hours. In an advisory posted in its website, the NGCP said the island’s power deficit presently stands at 234 MW and is foreseen to increase to 243 MW on Wednesday and 248 MW on Thursday. On Monday, the reported power supply deficit in Mindanao was at 74 MW or 160 MW less than the current shortage. “The areas that would be hit hardest (by the new load cuts) are those that have high power requirements like Zamboanga City, General Santos City and the Agusan area,” said Tudio, citing the NGCP’s advisory. In this city, which has a requirement of 105 MW, the NGCP further reduced its supplies by around 10 MW or a total deficit of 40 MW, he said. Since January, the NPC has cut down the area’s power supplies by 30 MW or around 30 percent of its power requirement. Socoteco II had forged a supply contract with the Aboitiz-owned Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) to augment the area’s power supplies by 23 MW, leaving its current deficit to around 17 MW. Tudio said that for Socoteco I’s service area, the average daily power supply cuts would reach around 5 MW based on the NGCP’s new load distribution schedule. Socoteco I, which has a peak requirement of 31 MW, covers Koronadal City, Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat and eight municipalities in South Cotabato. “Our regular supply has been reduced to 25 MW but we have a contracted augmentation of 5 MW from TMI so the impact of Pulangi IV’s shutdown will be very minimal here. At worst, our rotating brownouts may only reach about 30 minutes,” Tudio said.

Mayor distributes 145 computers to public high schools in Gensan

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681334641061
Tuesday 17th of April 2012

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 17 (PIA) -- Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio distributed on Monday 145 new computer sets to nine public high schools here in a move to strengthen students’ competitive advantage in preparation for their domestic and global engagements.

The said activity was part of the SHEEP-Computer Literacy Program (CLP) of the local government, designed to improve the quality of education in public schools of the city to make them at par with other private teaching institutions.

According to SHEEP-CLP head Percival Pasuelo, the mayor handed over 20 units of computer each to Labangal National High School, New Society National High School, General Santos City National High School, Fatima National High School, Bula National School of Fisheries, and GSC National Secondary School of Arts and Trade.

Tinagacan National High School and AG Busano National High School each received 10 units of computer while Irineo National High School of Metro Dadiangas got an additional five units for its Computer-Speech Laboratory in addition to the 20 units that were turned over by the city mayor during Valentine’s Day, two months ago.

Earlier, Mayor Custodio disclosed that the goal of the program is to make sure that public school students in GenSan will not be left out in terms of information technology.

She said the purchase of the additional 500 units for the remaining schools is already on process and set to be delivered within the year.

Meanwhile, Pasuelo expressed optimism that with the new computer sets and the series of level-up trainings conducted by the SHEEP-CLP to public schools in the city, students and teachers will continue imparting the knowledge they have learned to move forward.

“The city government has provided them the necessary tools which they can use to bridge the gap from the traditional classroom teaching to computer-aided instructions for them to become globally competitive,” he said.

Peace and development volunteers in SocSarGen initiate march for peace

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671334476249
Monday 16th of April 2012

By. (CMO Bn/CTA/PIA General Santos City)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 16 (PIA) -- Around 600 peace-loving citizens from South Cotabato, Sarangani Province and this city converged recently in GenSan’s Oval Plaza to stage a March for Peace.

The peace and development volunteers (PDVs) which included members of civil organizations, the Philippine National Police, 1002nd Infantry Battalion and the Local Government Units of GenSan partnered and initiated the activity to express their commitment to peace and development.

Tessie Sugabo of the Indigenous People’s Sector, said “peace is the key to success. Without peace, we would not attain progress and development in our region.”

The march for peace was also important for Indigenous People (IP) to express their common sentiments of lasting peace in Mindanao especially in SocSarGen (South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos City).

Other organizations that joined the march included SarifMucsin Muslim Group, Southern Triangle Management Group, Inc., Reservist from 1205th CDC, ARESCOM, CAFGU members from 72nd IB, 73rd IB, the staff of KALINAW Sarangani, Indigenous People’s Community, and the Youth for Peace Movement (YFPM) volunteers.

Col. Joselito Kakilala, commander of Joint Task Force (JTF) GenSan, said he was happy to note that people in SocSarGen supported the activity which promoted peace and development in the region.

“Peace and development is the result of cooperation and concerted efforts. “Attaining lasting peace is a shared responsibility and everyone must take part in any undertakings to achieve it,” he added.

COMMENT: No sign of signing: Iqbal’s Past Opening Statements

Source: http://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/comment/2012/04/15/comment-no-sign-of-signing-iqbal%E2%80%99s-past-opening-statements/
Sunday| April 15, 2012

By. mnicc

Part 4 of a series GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews /14 April) – If Government has changed the focus or core of the negotiation and has consistently firmed up this change, MILF has tenaciously held on to the talking point agreed in 1997 that was defined in the June 22, 2001 Tripoli Agreement of Peace. It has reposed trust in President Aquino III; yet it sounds frustrated.

December 5 -7, 2011

With MILF not yielding to the “3 for 1 Proposal”, Iqbal reaffirms during the 23rd formal exploratory talks their unchanged position, the urgency and auspiciousness of “signing a comprehensive agreement”. The MILF’s “expectation is not hard to fulfill … because all the issues … are already put on the table” – obviously referring to their peace draft proposal.

No Secession: The MILF option is not to secede but to have a “real self-governance in the Bangsamoro state … within the larger Philippine state” as contained in their state-sub-state proposal. Emphasizing the primacy of this option, Iqbal urges Government to stop “attempting to integrate the Moros into the national body politic” – with reference to the “partnership” offered in the “GPH ‘3 for 1’ Solution” – a scheme tried in the past and proven a failure.

Nothing Moving Away: In its December 8-14 editorial entitled “Grand Offer”, Luwaran.com, the official website of MILF Central Committee on Information, clarifies the statement to mean: The talk is moving forward but on the part of MILF nothing is moving away from its original position of asymmetrical state-sub-state political settlement that will address the Moro right to self-determination.

Stern Reminder: Two closing statements of the editorial must be noted: (1) “If the Aquino Administration wants to solve the Moro Question and the armed conflict in Mindanao, let it be done by genuinely empowering the Moros, not through the policy of interference into their internal affairs;” (2) for Government to offer to MILF “something …like the flawed formula the MNLF accepted … will only prolong the peace negotiation and the chance of signing one will never happen under the Aquino administration”.

January 9 – 11, 2012

The same concern Iqbal repeats at the opening of the 24th formal exploratory talks: The need “…to assure ourselves that we are indeed in the right tract and the right pace” as the peace talks intensify “if we want to conclude the current GPH-MILF peace negotiation to a successful end, without derogating prior agreements”. As to the pace, the March deadline will be missed unless “we are sincere, dedicated, and work hard and in double time”. [Emphasis supplied]

Girl killed, two others hurt as strong tornado pummels South Cotabato town

Source: http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/46281-Girl-killed,-two-others-hurt-as-strong-tornado-pummels-South-Cotabato-town.html
Saturday, April 14. 2012

By. (PNA)

LAP/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — A strong tornado pummeled two villages in Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato last Tuesday afternoon, killing a 12-year-old girl and injuring two other local residents. In a belated report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Friday the twister ravaged residential and farming communities in Barangays Poblacion and Lamdalag of Lake Sebu at around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. It identified the lone fatality as KC Dawang, who was reportedly inside their house in Sitio Lem-ehek in Poblacion when it was struck by strong winds brought by the tornado. Two local residents - Imelda Swan of Sitio Lem-ehek, Poblacion and four-year-old Kayla Faith Tampungan of Sitio Tabudtod in Barangay Lamdalag - were injured after they were felled by house and tree debris. The NDRRMC said 15 families with 49 dependents in Sitio Lem-ehek in Poblacion and Sitio Tabudtod in Lamdalag also lost their homes as a result of the incident. Isidro Janita, South Cotabato Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief, said Friday they immediately extended food and relief assistance worth P19,800 to the affected residents. He said they have dispatched a team to the area to assess the extent of the calamity and address the other needs of the victims. Janita said the municipal government of Lake Sebu, through its Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has also extended emergency assistance worth 5,000 to the victims. The Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils of Poblacion and Lamdalag initially provided fuel supplies for the chainsaws that were used in the clearing of the felled trees, logs and other debris in the affected communities.

Motorcycles accidents on the rise in South Cotabato, neighboring areas

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=419237
April 13, 2012, 4:55 pm

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE/AC

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 13 (PNA) – Health authorities have expressed alarm over the rising road or vehicular accidents involving motorcycles in South Cotabato province and the neighboring areas.

Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, South Cotabato health officer, said their records showed that 256 road accidents had occurred in the province during the first three months of the year.

He said 211 cases involved single motorcycles, 22 tricycles while the rest concerned four-wheeled vehicles.

He said the victims comprised 218 drivers, 109 passengers and 87 bystanders who were either killed or sustained serious injuries.

Of the injured victims, 153 sustained abrasions, 68 with lacerations and 17 with bone fractures.

“The trend is currently going up and what is alarming here is that most of the drivers involved in these accidents were under the influence of liquor or alcohol,” Aturdido said.

The official said 103 cases or 64 percent of the recorded road accidents in the province in the last three months took place in Koronadal City, South Cotabato’s capital and regional seat of Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region.

He said 52 road accidents were recorded in the city in January followed by 21 in February.

In the first two weeks of March, Aturdido said the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital already recorded a total of 30 accidents in the area.

He said reckless driving, over speeding, distraction from cellular phones and substance abuses were among the main causes of accidents that involved teenage drivers.

Late last month, five people were killed while two others were injured when a multicab passenger van collided with a trailer truck along the national highway in Koronadal City.

To help address the problem, Aturdido said they have sought assistance from the Department of Interior and Local Government to ensure the strict enforcement of road safety regulations in the area.

He said they have also linked up with the Regional Development Council’s social development committee for the conduct of orientation-seminars on proper driving behavior among teen drivers in the area.

Police eye business rivalry in North Cotabato bus bombing

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=418926
April 12, 2012, 5:27 pm

By. (PNA)

LAP/FFC/AVE/RSS

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 12 (PNA) - Authorities are looking at business rivalry as a possible motive in the latest bomb attack against a bus company that killed three persons and injured 16 others, a police official said on Thursday.

Chief Supt. Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) for Western Mindanao, said the business rivalry theory cropped up after the management of Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc. denied they received extortion demands.

“Curiously, only the buses of Rural Transit have been attacked when there are many other passenger [buses] plying the same route,” he said.

Khu said that since 2009, there have been 10 bomb attacks against the units of Rural Transit.

The latest occurred Wednesday morning in the town of Carmen, North Cotabato while a unit was moving toward the town’s terminal. A 10-year-old girl was among the fatalities.

The bus was bound for Cagayan de Oro and came from Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat.

Khu said the improvised explosive device that was planted inside the bus was fashioned from a .60 mm mortar shell.

The police official said they would not have theorized business rivalry if other buses plying the same route were also attacked.

Khu said they hope to crack the case with the help of a witness who saw the man who allegedly planted the improvised bomb.

The worst attack against Rural Transit was in October 2010, which killed 10 persons and injured several others when a bomb also exploded inside a unit while passing by Matalam town in North Cotabato en route to Tacurong City from Cagayan de Oro City.

Abalos co-accused may become state witness

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=795859&publicationSubCategoryId=63
April 11, 2012 12:00 AM

By. Perseus Echeminada

MANILA, Philippines - Lawyer Lilian Radam might be dropped as an accused in the electoral sabotage case to make her a state witness against former election chairman Benjamin Abalos.

Prosecutor Maria Juana Valesa told The STAR in a telephone interview that Radam has implicated Abalos in alleged cheating during the 2007 midterm elections in South Cotabato.

“At present Radam is the principal accused and we are evaluating yet if we will file a motion for her to become a state witness,” she said.

However, Valesa said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) must approve any move of the prosecution.

The Comelec will hold a full session tomorrow, she added.

Valesa said the prosecution will try to present Radam during Abalos’ next bail hearing on April 18.

If Radam, who is under the protective custody of the Department of Justice, fails to appear, they will let the court decide on the motion of Abalos to fix bail, she added.

Abalos has filed a string of criminal and administrative charges against officials of the Witness Protection Program for obstruction of justice and failure to bring Radam to court.

Last month, the prosecution was supposed to present Radam as their witness to prove alleged conspiracy in massive cheating in South Cotabato.

Abalos said Radam has admitted in her sworn statement that she had tampered election documents during the 2007 election.

It was during his term as Comelec chairman that the cases against Radam and Yogi Martirizar were initiated and filed before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 114, he added.

However, Radam went into hiding after an arrest warrant was issued against her.

She resurfaced September last year at the Department of Justice.

The Comelec had withdrawn the earlier case against Radam and refiled it to include Abalos.

Judge Eugene de la Cruz of Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 117 has warned prosecutors that they would be considered to have waived their right to present their witness if they fail to bring Radam to court again.

Radam was originally charged before RTC branch 114 of Judge Edwin Ramizo.

The complaint alleged that on May 24, 2007 during the national canvassing of votes for senators, Radam and Abalos tampered and increase the votes of the pro-administration Team Unity candidates.

They are accused of tampering and falsifying the Provincial Certificate of Canvass of votes in General Santos City, the towns of Polomolok, Tampakan, Tupi, Banga, Koronadal, Norala, Sto. Nino, Surrallah and Tantangan in South Cotabato.

The allegedly tampered election results were submitted to the National Board of Canvasser at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

‘Too much already’

Meanwhile, Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos bared yesterday an alleged Comelec plan to clear Radam and another poll supervisor, Martirizar, to pin down his father.

Speaking to reporters, Abalos said he has reliable information that papers are being circulated

for the Comelec commissioners to sign.

“If this will happen, it would be too much already,” he said.

“They will move heaven and earth just so my father will be persecuted. I hope they reconsider because my father is already too old.”

He refused to divulge who’s behind the Comelec resolution.– With Edu Punay

South Cotabato gov open to tapping nuke to resolve Mindanao’s power woes

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=418328
April 10, 2012, 5:31 pm

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE/HST

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 10 (PNA) – South Cotabato Governor Arthur Pingoy Jr. is open to the possibility of tapping nuclear power to help resolve the worsening power supply shortage in Mindanao.

Pingoy said the local government received some proposals over the possibility of putting up a nuclear power plant in the area and they initially showed some promise in terms of effectively addressing the island’s dwindling power supply.

Last week, former Tarlac Rep. Mark Cojuangco made a presentation on the matter at the in a meeting at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall in Koronadal City.

Cojuangco has been visiting several parts of the country, especially in Mindanao, to promote advocacy on tapping nuclear power as a “cheaper alternative” to coal, hydro, power barge and solar as power sources.

Pingoy said the tapping of nuclear power could solve the area’s power supply problems but stressed that such matter needs further studies and clarifications.

“We need to hear first from both sides - the anti and pro-nuclear power plant groups,” the governor said.

Pingoy, who is a former congressman, admitted that he was among the 197 co-authors of a bill that had sought for the reopening of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

“But this issue should be undertaken objectively and should be based on facts. We can only decide upon hearing from the experts,” he said.

Citing Cojuangco’s presentation, Pingoy said the local government may not be able to cope with the financial requirement of about US$ 300 million to put up a 50-megawatt (MW) modular nuclear power plant in the area.

He said they could not also allow proposals to put up the project in Lake Sebu town being a protected area.

“There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered and clarified to us and our constituents,” Pingoy said.

He added that the local government will deal with the issue in another public forum being organized by proponents.

Pay hike Region 12 workers seen before Labor Day

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=418091
April 9, 2012, 6:47 pm

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE/RSS/ssc

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 9 (PNA) -- An increase in the daily minimum wage rates for private sector workers in Central Mindanao is looming, officials said.

Chona Mantilla, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 12 director, said the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, which she also chairs, recently decided to hike the floor pay from P10 to P14 a day.

She noted the latest salary increase, or Wage Order No. RBXII-17, may take effect before May 1 or the Labor Day, a regular holiday to honor the workers.

Before it will be effective, it needs to be published in a local newspaper.

Under the new wage order, which will be implemented in two tranches, the daily minimum wage rates will range from P246 to P270.

The first tranche was expected to take effect before May 1 and the next on December 1, 2012.

In coming up with wage adjustment, the RTWPB decided to integrate the present P15 daily cost of living allowance (COLA) to the new basic wage.

The existing daily floor pay ranges from P234 to P260.

“The last wage order was issued more than one year ago and there being no petition, the RTWPB has resolved to review, motu propio (on its own), the existing minimum wage rates in the region,” Mantilla said.

Studies on the socio-economic condition in the region warranted the need to grant an increase in the minimum wage rates of private sector workers in Region 12 regardless of their position, designation or status of their employment, and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid, Mantilla said.

Also called the Soccsksargen Region, it covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

The Wage Board conducted public consultations early this year in parts of the region to determine if a salary adjustment is needed for the area.

Alfredo Hebrona Jr., Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry governor for Southwestern Mindanao, declined to give a comment on the looming wage hike, saying he was not privy to the deliberation.

Jessie dela Cruz, RTWPB secretary, said that exemptions maybe granted to certain types of establishments, such as those distressed and those whose assets are not more than P3 million.

Following the public consultations early this year, dela Cruz has said that the situation may not warrant an adjustment in the minimum wages of private sector workers, citing a report then by the National Economic and Development Authority that prices of basic consumer goods have remained stable.

Militant labor groups in the area since the past few years have demanded a legislated P125 across-the-board daily wage increase.

2 injured in road mishap involving Pacquiao’s dad

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/04/08/12/2-injured-road-mishap-involving-pacquiao%E2%80%99s-dad
04/08/2012 4:07 PM | Updated as of 04/08/2012 4:08 PM

By.Francis Canlas, ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines -- Two were injured when the private vehicle of Rosalio Pacquiao, father of Sarangani Representative and boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, collided with a mini-tricycle in General Santos City on Sunday.

The elder Pacquiao’s pick-up vehicle, manned by driver Pedong Pacquiao, was making a turn along NLSA Road in Barangay San Isidro when it collided with a mini-tricycle driven by a certain Bacar Lihang.

Rosalio, his bodyguard Arfenio Lico, and Pedong were unharmed, while Lihang sustained a bump and a gash on his brow. His passenger Ronald Albarina also sustained minor injuries on his elbow and back.

Albarina complained that Lico for allegedly punching him following the accident. But Pedong Pacquiao and Lico denied this.

The collision left the Pacquiao-owned vehicle with a shattered mirror, a scratched door and a dented stepboard.

Meanwhile, the operator of the mini-tricycle said it is open for negotiations with Pacquiao’s camp.

Gen. Santos City: TUNA CAPITAL

Source: http://www.gensantos.com/general-santos-city-tuna-capital/
7 April , 2012 SATURDAY

By. www.gensantos.com

A bustling urban center that stands out in terms of progress and development in Southern Philippines is General Santos City.

Located between 125°1′ and 125°17′ east longitude and between 5°58′ and 6°20′ north latitude at the island of Mindanao, it is less than 2,000 kms. away from Singapore and is the nearest point in the Philippines to Australia.

The port city is southeast of Manila, southeast of Cebu and southwest of Davao (150 kms. away). It is bounded in the south by the magnificent Sarangani Bay and Mt. Matutum, the highest peak in South Cotabato, towering at 2,293 meters above sea level, in the far north.

The city enjoys good weather all year round and is generally typhoon-free and with evenly distributed rainfall.

It is home to over a half a million people (529,542) according to the latest census of population by the National Statistics Office with an annual growth rate of 3.53, the 7th fastest-growing city in the country.

It serves as a financial hub of the SOCCSKSARGEN Growth Region (South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Gen. Santos) in Mindanao with over 50 banks in operation.

Gensan, as it is fondly called maintains some of the best support infrastructure in the East ASEAN Growth Area.

The General Santos International Airport keeps an instrument landing system and a runway capable of handling wide-bodied aircrafts;

The modern expansion of Makar Wharf presently facilitates more passenger and cargo traffic flow.

The Gen. Santos Fishport which is the most modern in the country and is accredited with US FDA and EU FDA Standards has just undergone expansion.

The 178-km all-weather world standard road network interconnecting it with the neighboring provinces provides efficient links for the products of South Central Mindanao to the ports of the world.

All these were made possible through grants from the USAID and the OECF of Japan totalling more than US$200 million.

General Santos City is rightfully the Tuna Capital of the Philippines.

It has over 85 tuna value-added processors, 7 of the country’s 10 tuna canneries and hundreds of allied services all contributing 61,000 jobs for the city.

PH tuna fishers get boost

Source: http://www.rappler.com/nation/3489-ph-tuna-fishers-get-boost
04/06/2012 10:45 AM | Updated 04/06/2012 11:15 AM

By. EDWIN ESPEJO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines - Philippine tuna producers can heave a sigh of relief, temporarily at least.

In the recently concluded 8th annual meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) held on March 26-29 in Guam, the Philippines was given the go-signal for a limited number of its fishing vessels to enter two pockets of Western Pacific high seas for at least one year. This, despite several island-nations in the area pushing for tighter controls.

These pockets of high seas were closed to tuna and purse seine fishing for two years beginning 2010.

The area covers more than 306,000 square miles of open seas south of Micronesia and north of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, where over 38 Philippine-flag purse seine fishing ships used to operate.

It is unclear yet how many of these Philippine fishing vessels will be allowed back in the contested area but industry sources here said the lifting of the ban will benefit RD Fishing and Frabelle Fishing, 2 of the country’s largest tuna fishing fleets which have already established bases in Papua New Guinea and have concession areas in Palau.

The 2 Pacific Island nations are near these pockets of seas in the Western Pacific.

Although the WCPFC lifted the ban, it is still imposing a three-month suspension of FAD fishing every year among its member countries. It also required all fishing vessels in the area to allow 100% observer coverage on board all purse seine operations.

Lifting of the ban

The next WCPFC meeting will be held in the Philippines in December.

The WCPFC is a sanctioning body with 18 members and 33 participating countries.

The Philippines is a signatory to the conference.

In 2011, total tuna landing at the General Santos City fishing port complex dropped by 21% from 143,139.17 metric tons in 2010 to 112,891.81 MT last year. Volume of landings of mature yellowfin tuna has also been on a steady decline from 33,369 MT in 2007 to mere 9,061.13 MT last year.

General Santos City is acknowledged as the country’s tuna capital and is host to 6 of 7 tuna canneries in the country.

Industry sources said some 120,000 residents here are directly and indirectly dependent on the industry.

The Philippines has been lobbying for the lifting of the ban, citing the severe economic backlash on the country’s tuna industry.

It even cited the slaying of 15 fishermen off the coast of Basilan in southern Philippines in January caused by rivalry over narrowing fishing grounds as a result of the WCPFC ban. - Rappler.com

General Santos City To Host Google Mapmaker Summit 2012

Source: http://allabout.com.ph/gensancity/general-santos-city-to-host-google-mapmaker-summit-2012/
Thu, Apr 5th, 2012

By. allabout.com.ph

GENERAL SANTOS CITY- General Santos City will be one of the cities in the Philippines to host the Google Mapmaker Dummit on April 21, 2012.

Last March, a successful Google Mapmaker Workshop was held in Makati City.

This coming event highlights the significance and influence of Google Mapmaker in business, planning, information, disaster assessment and reduction and planning of local government agencies, health, tourism and a lot more.

The Philippines has active moderators and community mappers, encouraging Google to push through their local summits, aiming to develop interactive map through Google Mapmaker utilization.

Speakers from India will be gracing the said events.

It is open for free to all mapUp organizers, mappers, government agency workers, tourism employees and business establishment owners and for everyone who are interested in mapping their local communities.

The first leg of the summit will be in Bacolod City on April 12 at University of La Salle, on April 14 will be at University of Baguio in Baguio City and the last one will be in General Santos City at STI Campus.

GenSan journalist files reply to libel suit

Source: http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/04/04/gensan-journalist-files-reply-to-libel-suit/
Wednesday| April 4, 2012

By. (MindaNews)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/03 April) – General Santos City-based journalist Edwin Espejo on Monday (April 2) submitted his counter-affidavit to refute the P18-M libel suit filed against him by used car dealer Mohammad ‘Bong’ Aquia, a friend of Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao. In his counter-affidavit, Espejo raised four points in assailing the libel raps of Aquia. His lawyer Rommel Bagares, executive director of Center for International Law, said there is no statute governing libel in the internet. “It is a basic principle of criminal law that there is no crime where there is no law,” the newsman’s legal counsel said. His lawyer likewise argued that the “alleged libelous remarks attributed to respondent are not malicious in fact because in the very first place they fall under the exception of qualified privileged communication because the remarks merely restate or report the pronouncements of the Highway Patrol Group about complainant’s alleged involvement in a car syndicate.” Aquia’s alleged links to a car theft syndicate generated publicity after he was reported to have “sought refuge” in the house of Pacquiao at the time when he was “placed under surveillance” by the police for allegedly selling a stolen Starex van to a village councilor in General Santos City. Bagares said Aquia never denied that he was seen in Pacquaio’s house in his libel complaint. Pacquiao however denied he harbored Aquia as a “fugitive from justice.” The eight-division world boxing champion has admitted to being friends with Aquia and said he knew Aquia as a buy and sell dealer of second hand cars. But he also said it is Aquia’s lookout if the cars the latter sold are stolen. Pacquiao was also reported to have filed a separate libel case against Espejo saying that the report tarnished his image as a boxing icon and commercial endorser.

Espejo’s lawyer however said his client has not received any summons related to Pacquiao’s libel complaint. “Our information is that Rep. Pacquiao filed his complaint together with Mr. Aquia,” Bagares said. “In any case we reiterate our earlier call on Rep. Pacquaio to take this opportunity to work with journalists in pressing for the decriminalization of libel in the country.” Espejo writes for www.asiancorrespondent.

Journalist on Internet libel: 'There is no crime where there is no law'

Source: http://www.rappler.com/nation/3338-journalist-on-internet-libel-there-is-no-crime-where-there-is-no-law
04/03/2012 7:19 AM

By. RAPPLER.COM

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines - Journalist Edwin Espejo, who is based here, has submitted his counter-affidavit to refute the P18-M libel suit filed against him by car dealer Mohammad "Bong" Aquia, a friend of Sarangani Rep Manny Pacquiao.

In his counter-affidavit, Espejo raised 4 points in assailing the libel raps of Aquia.

Rommel Bagares, executive director of Center for International Law and Espejo's lawyer, said there is no statute governing libel in the Internet.

“It is a basic principle of criminal law that there is no crime where there is no law,” the reporter's legal counsel said.

His lawyer argued that the “alleged libelous remarks attributed to respondent are not malicious in fact because in the very first place they fall under the exception of qualified privileged communication because the remarks merely restate or report the pronouncements of the Highway Patrol Group about complainant's alleged involvement in a car syndicate.”

Aquia’s alleged links to a carnap syndicate generated publicity after he was reported to have “sought refuge” in the house of Pacquiao at a time when he was “placed under surveillance” by the police for allegedly selling a stolen Starex van to a village councilor in General Santos City.

Bagares said Aquia never denied in his libel complaint that he was seen in Pacquaio’s house.

Pacquiao however has denied harboring Aquia as a “fugitive from justice.”

Where's Pacman's case?

The eight-division world boxing champion has admitted to being friends with Aquia and said he knew Aquia as a buy and sell dealer of second-hand cars. But he also said it is Aquia’s lookout if the cars the latter sold are stolen.

Pacquiao was also reported to have filed a separate libel case against Espejo because the story reportedly tarnished his image as a boxing icon and commercial endorser.

Espejo’s lawyer however said his client has not received any summons related to Pacquiao’s libel complaint.

"Our information is that Rep Pacquiao filed his complaint together with Mr Aquia," Bagares said. "In any case we reiterate our earlier call on Rep Pacquiao to take this opportunity to work with journalists in pressing for the decriminalization of libel in the country."

Espejo writes for www.asiancorrespondent.com, www.mindanews.com and Rappler. - Rappler.com

Gen San city gov't readies for Holy Week

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671333351733
Monday 2nd of April 2012

By. Catherine T. Apelacio

ENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 2 (PIA)--The city government here is all set for the observance of the Holy Week.

In today’s City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting, Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio asked the members to submit to her by tomorrow morning their final reports relative to their respective plan for the Holy Week.

“It is important that everything is in place and coordinated well especially with all the chiefs of police and other key line agencies and offices for the Holy Week,” the mayor told the Council members.

Custodio, however, pointed out the important role of police in keeping the peace and order in the city especially in ensuring the safety of the public during the observance of the season.

She said all key offices shall be on call during the observance and will be convened when necessary.

As this develops, the police assured the mayor that there was enough numbers of police personnel in the different police stations and when necessary the regional police headquarters will deploy personnel for reinforcement.

The Joint Task Force (JTF) GenSan, an elite military force based in the city will also join the police to tightly secure the parameters of GenSan.

In addition to the stand by security forces, Mayor Custodio also asked the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Station here and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to help ensure that all-out security is concretely in place especially in Sarangani Bay.

PCG and the MARINA both reassured the lady chief executive that they have been regularly conducting patrol in the Bay area and will do more during the season of Lent.

Citing the influx of people after Good Friday, Custodio urged then the police and other security forces to particularly double their efforts of securing the city during Black Saturday and Easter Sunday.

“Ito kasing mga araw na to talagang marami ang pumupunta sa simbahan kaya kailangan ang ibayong pagbabantay,” she rationalized.

She said more police presence will be deployed in barangays with many churchgoers such as Lagao, City Heights, Calumpang, Bula, Fatima to include the city proper.

Custodio also ordered the police to coordinate with barangay chieftains for the mobilization of barangay tanods and other force multipliers who can help them to better secure the city-wide perimeter.

She also cited the readiness of the city government key offices led by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), City Health Office (CHO), the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), the City Engineering Office (CEO), the Delta 9 under the City Public Information Office (CPIO), including the City Quick Response Team (QRT) and the Interim Integrated Waste Collection Services Unit (IIWSU). (CTA/PIA General Santos City)

MSU launches Nutraceutical Laboratory

Source: http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/45746-MSU-launches-Nutraceutical-Laboratory.html
Sunday, April 1. 2012

By. MSU-GSC/Danielle Anne De los Santos

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Mindanao State University- General Santos City launches the 3.7 million worth Nutraceutical Laboratory with the inauguration ceremony Thursday, March 30, at the campus ground. The day was also the university’s 33rd Baccalaureate Services and Awards Ceremonies. Assistant Director of the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural Resources (DA-BAR) and Guest Speaker Dr. Teodoro Solsoloy led the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Chancellor Abdurrahman Canacan and Vice- Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Mary Lynn S. Abiera. Developing laboratories is one of the main thrust of DA-BAR. Solsoloy said there are good researchers but are nevertheless provided with insufficient laboratories. “There are studies which are just stuck in shelves, journals or publications. It’s time to explore more and prove more,” Solsoloy said. The Nutraceutical Laboratory, with its state-of-the-art equipment, aims to expose into a more comprehensive way various researches and studies on screen plant and animal resources for therapeutic properties. Chancellor Canacan expressed his heartfelt gratitude to DA-BAR for its support and partnership with the university. “This is not just a blessing but a big challenge for us,” Canacan said. Canacan hopes for the laboratory to be properly utilized by the students, the faculty and other users. Aside from aiding students on their studies, the laboratory was built also to benefit other researchers in the region to nurture their knowledge on environment for health and safety. Solsoloy said MSU-GSC is the perfect location for the laboratory and the ideal place to set up the laboratory considering it as the center of all universities and scientific communities in Mindanao. The laboratory can start its operation six months earlier than the targeted schedule speeded up by the faculty and university management joint efforts. Alumni Regent Dr. William R. Adan expressed his admiration to the performance of the university under the present administration. Research Director Dr. Edna Oconer said there will be no problem with the results of the tests in the laboratory as it is already complete with proper protocols. The nutraceutical building was a location for an old classroom. It was in summer 2011 when the university proposed the project to DA-BAR. The Nutraceutical Laboratory houses two rooms for different fields of specialization and is equipped with high-tech apparatuses. The first room is the Phytochemistry Room. It will cater the phytochemical screening of locally-found plants and animals in the region. The room accommodates different equipment for experiments to be conducted. The Bioassay Room will be used to check and house the specimens for the experiments and also equipped with modern apparatuses.

'Kakanin' vendor's son graduates cum laude

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/03/31/12/kakanin-vendors-son-graduates-cum-laude
03/31/2012 6:14 PM | Updated as of 03/31/2012 6:14 PM

By. Jay Dayupay, ABS-CBN News SOKSARGEN

GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – At the age of 20, Colt Ian Del Castillo seems to have known life in its deepest sense.

Del Castillo, who took up Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in Mindanao State University (MSU) in General Santos City, said his journey hasn't been easy.

“I came in the university with only my fare. Don’t have money for tuition fee, I can’t ask for more money from my mother who was in Kiamba, Sarangani cooking bokayo (a native coconut candy) and looking for more money for my siblings,” he said.

Seeking opportunities, he was left with no option but to ask support from his father, a municipal councilor in South Cotabato. Colt admits he is an illegitimate child and was barred from claiming his father’s surname.

“I had nowhere to go but to my dad, the tuition was about P2,000, a lot cheaper than other colleges in GenSan. So, I decided to give it a shot. When my father gave me the money, I was thankful,” he said.

Striving to succeed

Colt said although he doesn’t know anyone inside the university, it did not hamper his drive to pursue his dream of finishing his studies.

However, he admitted that there was a time that he almost gave up.

“There was a time that I told my uncle that I must stop, I have no money, I have no food to eat, I have nothing. But my uncle said, ‘No! Don’t stop, we will find a way,” said Colt.

Colt followed his uncle’s advice and pushed harder.

He became a student leader and became active in the Human Rights Students Association.

Colt was also hailed as Mr. MSU 2012.

Looking back

Colt said he never forgets to look back and be thankful for the people who have inspired him—his mother who lives a mile away from his school, his siblings who wait for his successful comeback and his father who abandoned him.

“I think It’s time to thank my mom, because by all means she really takes good care of us, she never gave us to anybody despite terrible circumstances. There are a few things I need to tell my dad, thanks for your genes and well, he is still my father so thanks for the life and I hope one day he’ll have the courage to be a responsible man,” he said.

Colt, after struggling for four years, said he is more than thankful for his professors, advisers, classmates and friends who believed in him and in his dreams.

“Being a classmate, I am so proud of him,” classmate Vanessa Jesel Gaborne told ABS-CBN News.

“Colt Ian is a perfect example of a man who is kind, intelligent and responsible,” shard another classmate, Jimmy Lumindas.

Today, Colt will accept his diploma and his ultimate reward as cum laude, an award he is offering to his mother who sells "kakanin" (rice delicacies).

“I am proud of my son, that he made it this far. I know his life could have been better if I was with him cooking his breakfast, lunch and dinner and preparing his clothes to school. At home, I can’t sleep sometimes asking myself, if he had taken his meal, if he was OK. He really proved to himself that he deserves all of these,” said Colt’s mother.

Colt said he is planning to take up law in order to defend the rights of those like him—an illegitimate child who was deprived of rights of belongingness and a complete family.

He believes it is one way of correcting his parents’ mistakes.

Over 200 public school teachers, students avail of free newsletter layout training in Gensan

Source: http://cebusandman.typepad.com/philippines_travel_news/2012/03/peeved-pacquiao-wants-to-pay-taxes-elsewhere-asiaone.html
March 30, 2012 at 12:39 PM

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)

Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News NetworkFriday, Mar 30, 2012 GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines - Boxing sensation and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao now plans to transfer his tax registration to either Manila or Laguna in protest of what he perceived was harassment done by a regional director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) against him. In a text message, Pacquiao's chief of staff Franklin Gacal Jr. confirmed the plan, saying: "We will definitely transfer." When the Philippine Daily Inquirer asked where, Gacal said "Laguna or Manila." In 2010, Pacquiao transferred his tax registration from Pasig City to Central Mindanao. But BIR regional director Rozil Lozares, whom Pacquiao accused of railroading the charges against him, was unfazed by the planned transfer. "It's not a problem. It's his prerogative where he wants to pay his taxes. But, he can't do it right now because he has yet to settle his problem with us. If he complies with the requirements, then he can write a letter to the BIR stating the reasons for the transfer. Then, we will evaluate," Lozares said. Top taxpayer Lozares admitted that Pacquiao was one of the top individual taxpayers in the country. He, however, refused to divulge the exact amount of taxes being paid yearly by the boxing icon. In his 2010 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Pacquiao declared his assets at P1.13 billion (S$33 million) and no liabilities, making him the country's richest lawmaker. "The transfer of his tax registration to other place, if ever he can do it, will not affect our revenue collection target," Lozares said. But Lozares added that Pacquiao should also expect a backlash on his image and political career. "The local taxpayers may question why he is paying his taxes somewhere else when he is living and conducting most of his businesses here," he said. Lozares said Pacquiao was given three letter-requests and a subpoena before a legal action was initiated against him. The BIR log book showed that lawyer Francisco Gacal, a member of Pacquiao's battery of lawyers, appeared before the BIR office on February 7 but failed to submit the required books of accounts and accounting records being asked by the BIR. On March 1, the BIR filed a criminal case before the Prosecutor's Office of Koronadal City against Pacquiao. "If Mr. Pacquiao is not hiding something, then he should submit all the documents required by the BIR. He is a lawmaker and we expect him to respect the law. We are just doing our mandate under the RA 2484 or the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC)," Lozares said. The BIR official said Pacquiao was just wasting his millions by hiring topnotch lawyers to defend himself. "All he has to do is to submit his financial records and books of accounts then we will withdraw the case filed before the City Prosecutor's Office at Koronadal City," Lozares said.

NPAs in Mindanao up 20 percent - Minda News

Source: http://cebusandman.typepad.com/philippines_travel_news/2012/03/npas-in-mindanao-up-20-percent-minda-news.html
March 29, 2012 at 12:08 AM

By. (Edwin Espejo / MindaNews contributor)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/28 March) – The communist-led New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao has grown in numbers over the last two years, according to rebel spokesman Jorge Madlos, a.k.a. Ka Oris. “We have formed additional platoons and increased our armed strength by almost 20 percent,” Madlos said in a statement sent to reporters on the eve of the 43rd founding anniversary of the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. He claimed the guerilla fronts of the NPA have increased to 42, up from 32 fronts three years ago. “We have maintained 42 guerrilla fronts island-wide and increased the number of company-sized fronts,” Madlos said. Jorge Madlos, a.k.a. Ka Oris. Mindanews File Photo by Gigi Bueno The communist rebels claim they have five regional party committees in mainland Mindanao. Each regional party committee is reportedly maintaining at least a company-sized main regional guerrilla unit (MRGU) apart from several platoons of front guerrilla units (FGUs) distributed throughout the island. The CPP-NPA rebellion is Asia’s longest running insurgency movement. The NPA was founded on March 29, 1969 in Sta. Rita, Pampanga from remnants of the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB), the armed wing of the old Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP). From an undersized platoon of poorly equipped fighters with less than 25 rifles and handguns, the NPA has expanded throughout the archipelago and became a major threat to national security during the Marcos dictatorship. It is believed that more than half of the total armed regulars of the NPA today are in Mindanao, also the seat of the Moro secessionist movement. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has placed the total strength of the NPA nationwide at a little over 4,000 fully armed regulars. Early this year, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Jessie Dellosa said the military is tightening its grip “against the NPA bandits with our focused combat operations.” The AFP has been claiming that it has reduced the number of NPA regulars to its current strength from a high of 24,000 armed guerrillas during the height of the Marcos dictatorship. File photo of New Peoples Army (NPA) guerillas in the hinterlands of Davao City. Mindanews File Photo by Keith Bacongco Some estimates however said the armed strength of the NPAs in Mindanao has already equaled its 1980s level when the underground movement was at its peak. The communist rebels shocked the military and the national government when they launched simultaneous attacks against three mining companies in Surigao del Norte in October last year. More than 200 NPA rebels participated in the daring attacks which destroyed more than P500-million worth of equipment and facilities. No one was hurt during the attacks but the NPA demonstrated its capacity to strike at will in areas where they maintain strongholds. The northeastern side of Mindanao has long been known to host the Mindanao party leadership of the CPP-NPA. The rebels are also active in central as well as southern Mindanao where they have repeatedly launched tactical offensives and harassment activities. The NPA rebels in these regions have attacked several big agribusiness corporations operating in areas where they are active. In 2009, Madlos said they are preparing to bring their armed rebellion into a stalemate with the government in five years, a claim repeatedly downplayed and dismissed by the military.

Over 200 public school teachers, students avail of free newsletter layout training in Gensan

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681332870624
Wednesday 28th of March 2012

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 28 (PIA) — A total of 229 public school teachers and students have availed of the free newsletter layout training of the City Government under its SHEEP Computer Literacy Program (CLP).

SHEEP-CLP head, Percival Pasuelo explained that as of March 22 “Newsletter Layouting” using Adobe InDesign topped the list of the “must-have and most requested” among the free modules they have offered so far.

“This is attributed to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) requirement to all public schools in the city to come up with their respective school papers,” Pasuelo said.

Because of the high demand, Pasuelo revealed that the SHEEP-CLP is intensifying its technology trainings by offering Newsletter Layout Training to any interested group with at least ten members.

“Everybody is invited to join from elementary pupils to senior citizens with only one requirement to be admitted in the training: interest,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile, Pasuelo disclosed that teachers of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program of DepEd are currently undergoing hands-on workshop using Adobe InDesign at the Mabuhay IT Park.

The same training, he said, will also be offered to interested local journalists in the City starting April 13.

These training workshops aim to empower residents of the Tuna Capital to be globally competitive as envisioned by Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, he added.

2 buried alive in Gensan landslide

Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/provincial/26839-2-buried-alive-in-gensan-landslide
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

By. Zaida delos Reyes-Palanca

TWO persons were buried alive while another was seriously injured in a landslide in General Santos City yesterday morning.

The fatalities were identified as “Renren,” 30, and Ricky Talino. They were declared dead-on-arrival at a nearby hospital where their companion Jerry Talino was also taken for treatment.

Reports said the victims were digging for pipelines when the ground gaved in at 8:45 a.m. in Barangay Labangal.

2 construction workers killed, another injured in GenSan landslide

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=415521
March 26, 2012, 9:06 pm

By. (PNA)

LAP/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 26 (PNA) – Two construction workers were killed while another was injured when they were buried alive in a landslide off a cliff near the national highway here Monday morning.

Ephraim Beliran, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief, said the victims were laying down several large pipes near a funeral parlor complex along the national highway in Barangay Labangal here around 9:30 a.m. when a portion of a nearby cliff suddenly collapsed on them.

He said the victims were then working on a project commissioned by the General Santos City Water District (GSCWD).

He identified the fatalities as Ricky Talino, 37, and a certain Ren-ren. Both were declared dead on arrival at a hospital here.

Ricky's brother Gerry sustained several injuries and is currently being treated at a local hospital.

Beliran said city officials have ordered a deeper investigation into the incident, especially the cause of the landslide.

But Gerry Castillo of the Office of Civil Defense-Region 12 ruled out the incident as weather-related saying the circumstances showed that it was “man-made.”

Hundreds join overnight trek in Mt. Matutum

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681332658751
Sunday 25th of March 2012

By. Nirvana Alpha Vita G. Fruylan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 25 (PIA) -- Hundreds of mountaineers and nature enthusiasts from all over Mindanao hurdled Saturday the 2,000-meter climb to the peak of Mt. Matutum during the Amyak Maleh challenge which highlighted the celebration of Linggo ng Matutum.

"Amyak Maleh" coined from "B'laan words meaning “climb and plant,” is an activity that gathered environmental stakeholders for an overnight trekking to SocSarGen’s (South Cotabto, Sarangani, General Santos City) highest peak to conduct environmental preservation activities inside the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL).

The participants conquered the famous volcano and planted hundreds of trees in the area not only to bring back the forest, which is being threatened by land conversion and also to protect the remaining watersheds.

Protected Areas and Wildlife Division (PAWD) Chief, Ali Hadjinasser of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 explained the need to protect the watershed area as it supplies 30 percent of the water requirements of SocSarGen.

Meanwhile, the local government information center disclosed that a “mountaineers’ night” was also held to thank all the participants who successfully made it to the peak of the volcano and back.

A live band entertained the participants followed by a grand fireworks display signaling the end of the week-long celebration in commemoration of the 17th year anniversary of the declaration of Mt. Matutum as a protected landscape.

This year's “Linggo ng Matutum” was anchored on the theme: "Protect our Watershed, Save our Lives." (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan with reports from LGU Tupi)

2-hour rotational brownout in Mindanao to last until April

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2012/03/24/2-hour-rotational-brownout-mindanao-last-until-april-212969
Saturday, March 24, 2012

By. (Sunnex)

THE power load curtailment of the South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) in General Santos City, some parts of South Cotabato and Sarangani Province will last until April.

The two-hour rotational brownout started last March 05 and will last until April 1.

In its Socoteco II advisory, the electric cooperative based the rotational brownout on the power advisory released by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines saying that the Mindanao grid is on red alert status due to generation deficiency.

Tupi celebrates 17th ‘Linggo ng Matutum’

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681332403154
Friday 23rd of March 2012

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 23 (PIA) --Thousands of local and foreign tourists who want to experience nature have trooped to Tupi, South Cotabato for the “Linggo ng Matutum” in commemoration of the 17th year anniversary of the declaration of Mt. Matutum as a protected landscape.

The week-long celebration which started on March 19 does not only showcase the abundance of the municipality, known as “the fruit, vegetable and flower basket of South Cotabato,” but also emphasizes environmental protection and conservation especially of the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL).

“Amyak Maleh,” a B'laan term for “climb and plant,” highlights the said celebration. It gathers environmental stakeholders and other nature enthusiasts for an overnight trekking to the more than 2,000-meter high volcano for tree-planting and other environmental preservation activities.

Ali Hadjinasser, Protected Areas and Wildlife Division (PAWD) Chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 urged stakeholders to balance economic development with environmental conservation in consonance with this year’s theme: "Protect our Watershed, Save our Lives."

Hadjinasser disclosed there are so many threats facing the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL) and one is the massive conversion of forest area into agricultural use which is detrimental to watershed areas.

"Matutum is already proclaimed as protected area and the disposition of the same into other uses is no longer allowed," the local government information center quoted Hadjinasser as saying.

The PAWD chief revealed that there is a need to protect the Mt. Matutum watershed as it supplies 30% of the water requirements of South Cotabato, Sarangani and Gen. Santos City.

“We need to protect the source of our water, let us protect and conserve it," he said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. also emphasized environmental preservation in the celebration of Linggo ng Matutum” as he expressed agreement with the PAWD vhief’s statement of giving balance to “environment and development.”

"We don't need to announce how many trees we planted, the most important is we are doing our part for the environment," the mayor said.

Other activities in the Linggo ng Matutum include Search for Mutya ng Kalikasan 2012, Mountaineers Night, Nightly Live Band, and the traditional Fireworks Display on March 24 to cap the week-long celebration.

Mindanao students dominate 'Pasiklaban sa Paaralan'

Source: http://www.zamboangatoday.ph/index.php/news/13-top-stories/9189--mindanao-students-dominate-pasiklaban-sa-paaralan.html
Thursday, 22 March 2012 12:30

By. zamboangatoday.ph

After an intensee two-hour final competition and a yearlong search for the best, Diwa Learning Systems concludes this year's Pasiklaban sa Paaralan competition. Aeron Jan Sanidad, grade five student from The Quantum Academy in General Santos City and James Polistico, a third year high school student from Holy Cross of Bunawan, Davao City emerged as this year's champions in the elementary and high school category, respectively. Sixteen students vied for the top plum in the national finals, which was held at the Best Western F1 Hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on March 17, 2012 with TV personality Kuya Kim Atienza as quizmaster.

Other winners in the elementary category were Mark Edward Gonzales from St. Paul College of Makati in Makati City and Basil Angelo Viloria from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Montessori in Baguio City. It was a close fight for the three contenders. Sanidad edged over Gonzales in the difficult category by just one question. Viloria got a perfect score in the average round.

In the high school category, Oliver Lance Ku from Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu was first runner-up and Justin Bryce Torres from Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Zamboanga City was second.

The champions, Aeron Jan Sanidad and James Polistico, brought home a 7-inch Android Tablet from official technology partner Ng Khai Development Corporation; a trophy and a certificate from Diwa Learning Systems, Inc. Their coaches, Ebrahim Alpe Simpal and Emelie Sarte, received a cellphone, a trophy and a certificate from Diwa Learning Systems, Inc. The schools, The Quantum Academy and Holy Cross of Bunawan, received an Acer Veriton Z431G All-in-One Desktop Computer from Official Technology Partner Acer Philippines.

The first runners-up, Mark Edward Gonzales and Oliver Lance Ku, together with their coaches, Rollie Pereña and Cecilie Villacrusis, received a 500GB External Hard Disk Drive from event donor Questech Co. Inc., a trophy and a certificate from Diwa Learning Systems, Inc. Second runners-up, Basil Angelo Viloria and Justin Bryce Torres, and their coaches, Mary Ann Tibayan and Ms. Angeline Viejon, received a cellphone from event donor Questech Co. Inc., a trophy and a certificate from Diwa Learning Systems, Inc.

The Pasiklaban sa Paaralan, which was in 60 locations around the country, was participated in by 700 schools nationwide with over 1,000 grade school and high school students. Winners were divided into clusters for the semifinals where the eight national finalists emerged and represented their clusters in the National Finals.

The eight finalists for the grade school category were—Margareth Nicole Dato, Marian School of Gerona, Tarlac; Basil Angelo Viloria, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Montessori, Baguio City; Jude Benedick Acedera, Holy Infant Academy, Oriental Mindoro; Duane Christian Rivera, Naga Parochial School, Naga City; Seanne Angelique Dagsa, St. Therese Educational Foundation of Tacloban, Inc., Tacloban City; Aeron Jan Sanidad, The Quantum Academy, General Santos City; Maria Victoria Te, Dipolog Community High School, Dipolog City; Mark Edward Gonzales, St. Paul College of Makati, Makati City.

The finalists for the high school category were Yoana Alexis Juan, Ecumenical Christian College, Tarlac City; Matthew Villanueva, La Salette of San Mateo, Isabela; Nards John Isip, Good Shepherd Academy; Oriental Mindoro; Oliver Lance Ku, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, Cebu City; James Polistico, Holy Cross of Bunawan, Davao City; Justine Bryce Torres, Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Zamboanga City; Julian Victor Dupaya, Good Shepherd Christian School, Mandaluyong City.

Pasiklaban sa Paaralan serves as an avenue for intellectual competition among the students and shows how information and communications technology (ICT) can help in academic instruction. It enhances the classroom experience of students and features questions related to Science, Math, Languages, Literature and General Information. It travels around the country on board a custom-built van equipped with 10 laptops used as a playing console, a server that is the brain of the competition, a mobile sound system and LCD projectors.

Region 12 LGUs urged to take disaster risk reduction measures

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=414319
March 21, 2012, 7:30 pm

By. (PNA)

DCT/FFC/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 21 (PNA) — Local government units (LGUs) in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region must give serious consideration to disaster mitigation and preparedness measures more than ever to avoid tragedies.

This was the gist of the recent briefing here on calamity response and geo-hazard maps for LGUs conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Region 12.

Buagas Sulaik, DILG Region 12 director, urged the local chief executives (LCEs) to develop their respective calamity response protocols for the safety of their constituents.

Specifically, he noted that the protocols should be harmonized with various sectors involved in disaster risk reduction and management.

Sulaik said that with what happened to the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan last December, there should have lessons learned.

He was referring to tropical storm Sendong (international name: Washi), which wrought havoc that killed at least 1,200 people after devastating flash floods swept Northern Mindanao.

Sulaik said that Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo has instructed the regional offices to issue weather advisories and calamity warnings to local chief executives.

“Weather advisories and calamity warnings from the DILG should not be ignored by LCEs even when sent through text message during the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning,” he said.

In line with Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, Mr. Sulaik said that DILG-12 will also conduct a region-wide training in addressing calamity warnings and understanding area hazards and response for barangays.

The MGB-12 has been distributing geo-hazard maps it started printing last January.

Constancio Paye Jr., MGB-12 director, said they target to distribute the maps to all the 1,194 barangays in the region.

Paye said that villages considered high-risk to flooding and landslide will be the priority in the distribution list.

"These maps are vital for each barangay in identifying flood and landslide prone areas, in the preparation of the disaster risk and reduction plans, and in identifying safe locations for evacuation,” he said. (PNA) LAP/FFC/AVE/RSS

Power firm to start pre-feasibility study for 5-MW hydro plant in Lake Sebu

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=414049
March 20, 2012, 7:50 pm

By. (PNA)

DCT/FFC/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 20 (PNA) -– Renewable energy firm Euro Hydro Power (Asia) Holdings Inc. is set to launch a pre-feasibility study for its planned 5-megawatt (MW) mini-hydro power plan in Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato.

Engr. Santiago Tudio, general manager of South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative (Socoteco I), said the company has already sought clearance from the Lake Sebu municipal government to pursue with the project’s pre-feasibility study, which will mainly look into its environmental impact and water utilization.

Socoteco I earlier forged a partnership with the power producer for the construction of a 5 MW hydropower plant within the famed seven waterfalls of Lake Sebu.

“The pre-feasibility study is scheduled to begin in a few weeks and we’re looking forward to it since it would determine the viability and the future of this project,” Tudio said in a radio interview.

Tudio said the pre-feasibility study, which was initially scheduled last year, was delayed after Euro Hydro found out earlier that the Department of Energy (DoE) had issued a service contract over the proposed project area to another company.

He said the DoE earlier awarded the contract to Renouvel Development Corporation, which is reportedly owned by former National Power Corp. executives, but the latter supposedly failed to pursue the project due to funding problems.

Renouvel’s contract, which was issued for its proposed 21-MW Lanon Hydroelectric Power Project, was reportedly cancelled recently by the DoE, he said.

Citing initial details of the Lake Sebu hydropower project’s pre-feasibility study, Tudio said Euro Hydro will initially explore the viability of utilizing the third of the town’s seven waterfalls as its main site.

He said the company is looking at constructing a small impounding structure at waterfall no. 3 to allow it to generate 5-MW of power.

“We will later present the results of the pre-feasibility study to the municipal government, provincial government of South Cotabato, DoE and other concerned agencies for the issuance of further clearances related with the project’s implementation,” he said.

Should the project eventually becomes operational, Tudio said the 5-MW power supply that it would generate will be enough to cover for the requirements of the entire Lake Sebu and nearby Surallah town.

“If we will mix it with the other power supplies we purchase from other providers, it will reduce the overall costs of power that we supply to our consumers in the entire Socoteco I service area,” he said.

Socoteco I covers Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat, the city of Koronadal and the municipalities of Tampakan, Tantangan, Banga, Norala, Surallah, T’boli, Sto. Nino and Lake Sebu in South Cotabato.

Euro Hydro is currently pursuing seven hydro power plant projects in Mindanao that have potential capacities of one megawatt (MW) each.

The company said it has already complied with the requirements for the pre-development stages and have paid the prescribed application and processing fees for their proposed power projects.

Aside from South Cotabato, Euro Hydro is also setting up hydro power plants in Iligan City and Kapai in Lanao del Norte, Calamba in Misamis Occidental, New Bataan in Compostela Valley and in Alamada, North Cotabato.

The company has yet to disclose its planned investments for the Lake Sebu project but Tudio earlier said the development costs for a hydropower plant in the area may reach P1 billion per MW or a total of P5 billion for a 5-MW facility.

(Feature) South Central Mindanao's Save the Children to help more indigenous communities

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=413719
March 19, 2012, 3:32 pm

By. (PNA)

DCT/LOR/AVE/HST and KZT

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 19 (PNA) -– Upbeat with the successful implementation of its three-year hunger mitigation program in Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato, an international child welfare group is now pushing for its replication in other impoverished communities in the area.

Fanny Divino, program manager for South Central Mindanao of Save the Children, said they are working for the implementation of their flagship “Making Food Go Further” project in several villages in T’boli town.

She said they are eyeing the tribal residents of T’boli, especially those who have experienced severe hunger, as initial program beneficiaries.

The group’s project in Lake Sebu town is about to end on March 31 after three consecutive years of implementation.

The project, which was supported by international food firm Kraft Foods Inc., mainly aimed to mitigate hunger through various strategies that include direct food provision, livelihood assistance, health and nutrition promotion and increasing local folks’ readiness to address child hunger and malnutrition.

For three years, Save the Children conducted supplemental feeding activities that benefited 9,378 school children of 10 public schools in Lake Sebu.

The project helped improve the capability of 662 mothers and caregivers and educated 10,665 school children on proper health, nutrition, hygiene and sanitation.

Divino said they are planning to forge partnerships with local governments in the area for the project’s sustenance and replication.

“The project does not require heavy funding to become successful. all it needs is the proper monitoring and strong support from various sectors, especially the local governments,” she said.

Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, South Cotabato health officer, expressed support for the project’s replication saying it would greatly benefit the poor localities in the province.

“We in the provincial government will continue to work hand in hand with Save the Children for our children’s welfare and we hope that this project will be replicated in several other communities in the province,” he said.

GenSan judge hurt in accident

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=412799
March 15, 2012, 8:56 pm

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 15 (PNA) – A local trial court judge was injured after he was hit by a wayward motorcycle in front of Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao’s mansion here Wednesday night.

In a report, Senior Supt. Cedric Train, city police director, identified the victim as Judge Antonio Lubao, 67, who is currently the presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 22 here.

He said Lubao just emerged from Pacquiao’s mansion along the NLSA Road in Barangay Lagao at around 8:30 p.m. when he was struck by the motorcycle driven by Oliver Busano, a resident of Purok 17 of the same village.

Lubao, who was then attending a Bible study at the Pacquiao mansion, was just checking his vehicle that was parked by the roadside when the incident happened, he said.

Train said the victim reportedly sustained head injuries and is recuperating at a hospital here.

Citing a report from the Lagao police station, the official said the suspect appeared intoxicated and did not have a driver’s license.

The suspect is currently detained at the Lagao police station’s lock-up pending the filing of appropriate charges against him.

SHEEP-CLP intensifies technology training for senior citizens in Gensan

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681331710215
Wednesday 14th of March 2012

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan with reports from LGU-Gensan)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 14 (PIA) -- The City Government’s SHEEP-Computer Literacy Program (SHEEP-CLP) intensified its technology training for senior citizens here by making it a whole year continuous activity.

SHEEP-CLP head, Percival Pasuelo said the free trainings will be offered until December this year after Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio personally witnessed the successful outcome of the hands-on training on “Basic Computer Operation and Facebook” last December 22, 2011.

Since then, Pasuelo said, they received more request for trainings from the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) as more lolo and lola wanted to be called “senior netizens” and undergo the same “unique rest and recreation experience through the power of technology.”

According to OSCA Chairman, Jacinto Gutang the city has a population of at least thirty thousand senior citizens, but only more than eight thousand are active due to illnesses and other old age problems.

He said they are very grateful to the City Mayor for conducting the said technology training to make a difference in the lives of the senior citizens who are now in what he described as the “pre departure area” .

Gutang explained that majority of senior citizens who learned how to use facebook were very happy for keeping in touch with the world and being involved in an experience they have never enjoyed when they were young.

“We are glad that we have an alternative way to spend our free time to keep our minds occupied and productive,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pasuelo said that the SHEEP-CLP is targeting at least 100 trainee-participants to complete the training course this coming May 2012. They are also planning to introduce web blogging for participants who are willing to undergo more level-up trainings.

PCSO millionaires' club reaches 1700 - ABS CBN News

Source: http://cebusandman.typepad.com/philippines_travel_news/2012/03/pcso-millionaires-club-reaches-1700-abs-cbn-news.html
March 13, 2012 at 8:41 AM

By. ABS CBN News

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) disclosed yesterday that there are now 1,700 members of the so-called “Instant Millionaires Club” composed of winners of online lottery draws with prizes ranging from P3 million to P741 million since 1995. Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, PCSO general manager, said that since the 6/42 Mega Lotto and 6/49 Super Lotto games were launched in 1995, some 1,700 lucky bettors have won the jackpot. “Most of the winners are ordinary folks who religiously maintained certain combinations,” he said. A balikbayan from New York had won the biggest lotto jackpot worth more than P741 million in the 6/55 Grand Lotto in October 2010. The winner was on vacation in Subic where he bought the winning ticket. Most of the jackpot winners, however, have told stories of rags to riches when they claimed their prizes at the PCSO central office at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.A 60-year-old carpenter from Las Piñas City won P341 million for the Grand Lotto draw last year while a 49-year-old government employee from General Santos City won P106 million for the Super Lotto draw. Rojas said most of the winners maintained certain number combinations that represent important dates and events in their lives. He said the PCSO generates funds for its medical assistance through the lotto draws and other games. Rojas said out of ticket sales, the PCSO allocates 55 percent to prizes, 30 percent to charity through medical assistance, and 15 percent to the agency’s operating fund. He said the PCSO charter-mandated core services are direct outpatient care through the charity clinic department and medical outreach missions in communities; the granting of individual medical assistance; and the granting of institutional assistance through the endowment fund for hospitals, clinics, homes for the elderly and street children, and the like. Rojas said that PCSO also grants assistance to victims of calamities and national emergencies, to regular beneficiary organizations, ambulance units to qualified institutions and LGUs, and donation of medicine and medical equipment. Under the Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP), the PCSO accepts requests for hospitalization, dialysis, medicine (except maintenance and for cosmetic purposes), chemotherapy drugs, laboratory and diagnostic procedures, and equipment such as wheelchair, hearing aid, and implants or prostheses. Among the documentary requirements are a request letter, medical abstract, medicine prescription, certificate of indigence, price quotations for medicine, hospital billing statements, and others as needed. Meanwhile, a 33-year-old woman collapsed after a lotto outlet teller in Quezon City confirmed that her ticket won the P6,989.457.67 jackpot prize for the 6/42 Regular Lotto draw last March 8, 2012. Rojas said the lucky winner, however, recovered immediately after she verified her winning ticket at a lotto outlet at a mall at the corner of EDSA and North Ave. Rojas said the woman and her live-in partner claimed the jackpot at the PCSO central office at the PICC.A security guard assisted the woman and after she regained consciousness the teller told her to sign the ticket for security reasons. The winner and her partner, who have one child, plan to get married and buy a house and lot.

SM foundation turns over classroom building in Gen San

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671331541907
Monday 12th of March 2012

By. CTApelacio/PIA General Santos City)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 12 (PIA)--A private corporation recently donated classroom buildings here in support of the Adopt-A-School Program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

SM Prime Holdings, through SM Foundation has turned over a two-classroom building to General Santos City Special Education Integrated School or SPED and another four-classroom building to Banisil National High School in Tambler here.

“The school buildings are equipped with complete toilet facilities, armchairs, blackboards, teacher’s desk sets, and ceiling fans,” Justin Mae Acharon, public relations officer, GenSan SM Shopping Center Management Corporation told PIA General Santos City.

She added that a number of textbooks and reading materials were also distributed to each of the school libraries.

To date, SM foundation has funded the construction of “42 school buildings nationwide since 2002,” she said.

Acharon said SM Foundation is also making a difference in the lives of Filipinos through its scholarship program, which helps the less privileged and less fortunate young individuals all over the country go to school.

The program has 900 college scholars enrolled in 73 colleges and universities nationwide.

Schools of choice now include General Santos City being the site of the biggest SM malls in Mindanao. SM GenSan is expected to open in June or July this year.

Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio noted the contribution of SM Foundation saying she was happy with the assistance as it helps boost public schools facility in the city.

Brownouts to become Gensan way of life unless…

Source: http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/03/11/brownouts-to-become-gensan-way-of-life-unless%E2%80%A6/
unday| March 11, 2012

By. Edwin G. Espejo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/10 March 2012) — Unless it will be able to secure long term power supply contract, residents of General Santos City and areas covered by its franchise will have to live with at least two hours of daily rotational brownouts which could go as high as eight hours a day, the South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) said. Socoteco II general manager Rodrigo Ocat said erratic supply from the National Power Corporation (NPC) is now being felt by its consumers following the power company’s decision to limit supply contracts with utility firms on an annual basis due to inadequate capacities from its remaining generating plants, most of them hydro-electric plants. Ocat said they have already resorted to buying power from diesel-fired power barges of Therma Marine Inc. to compensate for the reduced supply from NPC. Socoteco II has a base load capacity of at least 70 megawatts (MW) and a peaking requirement of up to 105 MW from over 120,000 consumer-households. Its power supply requirement is expected to further increase beginning next month when SM Properties opens its shopping mall here. The SM shopping center will reportedly use up at least 10 megawatts when it opens in April which will coincide with the shutting down of the 100-MW Pulangi hydroelectric plant for annual preventive maintenance. The 110-MW Mt Apo Geothermal Plant will also undergo preventive maintenance in June. Other power plants that have reportedly scheduled their own maintenance are one of the Agus Hydro power plants in September and one of the two 105MW power plants of STEAG in Misamis Oriental. NPC is said to have already advised Socoteco that it will be shedding off at least 15 megawatts of the utility firm’s requirement for the month. For March, Socoteco II will reportedly only get an average supply of 61 MW from NPC. This will mean at least six hours of daily rotational brownouts, according to Socoteco. It has also contracted at least 23 MW of supply from Therma Marine which is priced between P11 to P13 per kilowatt hour, depending on the cost of fuel, jacking the average cost of electricity of its consumes by at least P1.00 per kilowatt hour. Still, the combined power supply of NPC and Therma Marine for March (84MW) is not enough to meet the peaking demand of Socoteco II forcing the utility firm to resort to two-hour rotational brownouts. To cushion the impact, Socoteco II revamped its feeder assignments last month which enabled it to shorten the power interruptions. Power sales agreement As this developed, Ocat urged the public to support the approval of its power supply agreement with Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) which is now being heard by the Energy Regulatory Commission. The city government however filed an opposition and is asking the board of directors to rescind the contract citing, reportedly, “onerous provisions” in teh agreement. But Ocat said, under the circumstances and considering the power supply outlook of Mindanao, the power supply agreement between Socoteco II is the best it could procure even though it will mean slightly higher electricity bill for its consumers during the first two or three years of the supply contract. The PSA between Socoteco II and SEC provides for a supply and purchase agreement of 70 MW of base load capacity at a cost significantly lower than the current supply contract between the cooperative and Therma Marine. In the public hearings and consultations held in December and early this year, both Socoteco II and SEC said the benchmark of its supply is pegged at passed on price to consumers of P5.91 per kilowatt hour. Socoteco II’s average cost per kilowatt hour at the moment, without the brownouts, is P5.47, inclusive of generation, transmission, and distribution charges. SEC is constructing a two-phased 200-megawatt power plant in nearby Maasim, Sarangani. The Alcantara-controlled power firm said it will commence construction as soon as the ERC approves its PSA with Socoteco II. SEC will initially build a 100 MW plant and common structures for its second 100 MW power plant, which will start 12 months after it lays it foundations. If plans push through, SEC will be able to deliver electricity to Socoteco II at the start of 2015, at the latest. Businessman Manny Yaphockun, former president of the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce, said residents will have to make a choice between a slightly higher electricity costs than suffer prolonged brownouts. (Edwin Espejo/MindaNews contributor writes for the asiancorrespondent.com)

BIR-12 moves to prevent tax record ‘leakages’

Source: http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/03/10/bir-12-moves-to-prevent-tax-record-leakages/
Saturday| March 10, 2012

By. Allen V. Estabillo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/09 March) – With the local business scene here and in nearby areas currently “picking up,” an official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) directed their personnel in Region 12 to intensify their crackdown against possible “leakages” with the tax records of businesses in the area. Lucita Rodriguez, BIR assistant commissioner, said their assessment showed that the region’s revenues from the value added tax (VAT) collected by local businesses should have picked up these past months with the robust growth achieved by the area’s business sector. “I think it’s true that there were leakages. I noticed that businesses here are booming so we should have expected higher collections from VAT and business taxes,” she said in a press conference in Koronadal City. Rodriguez, who heads the BIR’s Taxpayer’s Assistance Service, visited the area last Wednesday to grace the regional kickoff of its tax campaign dubbed “I love the Philippines, I pay taxes.” The BIR Revenue Region No. 18 (BIR-18), which covers the entire Region 12 and Maguindanao province, earlier reported that its total collections tax collections in the area last year had reached P4.4 billion, surpassing its target by 6.1 percent or P254.09 million. Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. The BIR regional office said 70 percent of its total collections in 2011 were generated from the withholding taxes of local employees while 21 percent came from the VAT. Owing to their assessment, Rodriguez said there is a need for their personnel to intensify their tax investigations on the tax records of businesses in the area, especially the high-profile personalities and professionals. She said they should conduct their tax mapping activities on a regular basis and at the same time set more information and education campaigns among local businessmen and professionals. “We also need to reach out with them because there were instances, especially among our professionals, that they were just not aware of their obligations or the taxes that they need to pay,” Rodriguez said. To help encourage businessmen and professionals to promptly and properly pay their tax obligations, she acknowledged that they should also expand the local implementation of its e-services, which involves electronic or online filing and payment of taxes. Lawyer Rozil Lozares, BIR-18 regional director, assured that they were exerting “all out” efforts to stop the tax record “leakages” and related violations by local businessmen and professionals. He said that as part of their campaign against tax evaders, the BIR-18 legal department has already filed 13 cases involving local businessmen. Lozares said they recently sought for the issuance of alias warrants of arrest against four suspected tax evaders in the area. “Some of the cases that we filed are undergoing litigation while some are under mediation,” he said. The official said they have been conducting tax investigations targeting high-profile personalities in the region “to send the right signals among our residents.” On March 1, BIR-18 officials filed a criminal case against Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao in connection with their ongoing investigation into the latter’s tax payments in 2010. Lozares said they filed the charges against Pacquiao before the prosecutor’s office in Koronadal City for violation of Section 266 of the National Internal Revenue Code after the latter allegedly failed to submit copies of his tax records and income-related documents that were summoned by the agency. But Michael Brenn Evangelio, chief of staff of the Sarangani congressional office, said Pacquiao is already attending to the matter and has initiated efforts to comply with the BIR’s summons. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)

South Cotabato solon to appeal Sandigan suspension

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=411512
March 9, 2012, 5:30 pm

By. (PNA)

LAP/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 9 (PNA) – South Cotabato (1st District) Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. plans to file an appeal with the Sandiganbayan over his 90-day preventive suspension in connection with a graft case that was filed while he was still the mayor here.

Acharon said his counsels are currently studying his options, among them the filing of a motion for reconsideration within 15 days, regarding the Sandiganbayan fifth division’s suspension order, which stemmed from his issuance of travel authority to the United States for two members of the city council in 2006 without proper approval from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In its ruling issued last Tuesday, the anti-graft court granted the prosecution’s position that suspension is mandatory when a public official is charged for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The ruling was penned by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice and 5th division chair Roland Jurado and concurred by Associate Justices Alexander Gesmundo and Alex Quiroz.

“The purpose of the suspension is to see to it that I would not hamper the ongoing processes (involving the case),” Acharon said in an interview with a local television station here.

Acharon was earlier charged of “unlawfully issuing travel clearances” to city councilors Jose Orlando Acharon and Minda Atendido on June 9-16, 2006 for their trip to Los Angeles, California.

The prosecution noted that Acharon’s action overrode the authority of then DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno after the latter disapproved travel requests by the two city council members.

Councilors Acharon and Atendido were part of the city’s delegation then for the annual Tambayayong Festival held in Los Angeles.

But the former mayor pointed out that the charges were not a “corruption case” since the two city councilors travelled and attended the events in the United States “using their own money.”

“The city government did not spend a single centavo for them and there were no government resources, properties or assets (involved in this case),” Acharon said.

He cited that he was not part of the city’s delegation, which was allotted by the local government some P2.5 million.

The Sandiganbayan, who had denied Acharon’s request for him to be exempted from suspension being now a member of the House of Representatives, directed Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to implement the order.

But published reported quoted House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II as saying that they could not implement the order as the Constitution bars the House of Representatives from suspending a member for alleged actions that happened not during their incumbency as lawmaker.

Governor Hataman wants more CCTVs near ARMM compound

Source: http://www.mindanaotimes.net/governor-hataman-wants-more-cctvs-near-armm-compound/
Thursday, 08 March 2012

By. MindaNews

General Santos City — Acting Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Mujiv Hataman is pushing for the installation of additional closed-circuit television or CCTV cameras in various strategic areas in Cotabato City in the wake of the recent series of bomb attacks in the area.

Hataman said he is presently coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other government security units in the area for the acquisition and installation of the additional CCTV cameras in areas that were hit by the previous bomb attacks, especially along the roads leading to the ARMM compound.

“The installation of the CCTVs will help our security and law enforcers in identifying the people or groups who might be behind these attacks,” he said in an interview over Bombo Radyo in Koronadal City on Tuesday.

In January, the Cotabato City government initially installed 12 CCTV cameras worth P2 million in various parts of the city to help deter the occurrence of crime incidents and terror attacks in the area.

The CCTV cameras were reportedly installed covertly by police personnel to ensure that they would not be detected by criminal and terror elements operating in the area.

Aside from the installation of the surveillance cameras, Hataman said he has asked the PNP’s Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO)-Western Mindanao and the PNP-ARMM to study the security arrangements in Cotabato City and come up with a coordinated comprehensive security plan.

He admitted that the ARMM leadership has been facing difficulty in terms of implementing security measures in Cotabato City since it is not under their jurisdiction.

“We have a very unique situation in Cotabato City because our ORC (Office of the Regional Council) is based there but it is under the AOR (area of responsibility) of Region 12 and not the ARMM,” the official said.

Last Saturday, two improvised bombs exploded outside ARMM’s ORC compound, injuring a local resident.

The first explosion occurred about 100 meters from the ARMM-ORC compound’s main gate while the second happened in front of the ARMM Regional Ports Management Authority office.

A third explosive fashioned from a live 81-millimeter mortar shell was also recovered by police and military personnel near the blast sites.

Col. Prudencio Asto, public affairs chief of the Army’s Sixth infantry Division, earlier said the recent attacks could have been staged by groups opposed to Hatman’s leadership.

He cited the previous recovery in the some of the blast sites of propaganda materials against Hataman that were supposedly issued by the Bangsamoro Independence Movement and the Bangsamoro Youth Movement.

Although the bomb explosions happened just outside the ARMM ORC Compound along Gov. Gutierrez Avenue, Hataman said these have not so far affected the regional government’s operations in the area.

“It has not affected our regular operations, especially the reforms that we’ve been implementing,” he said.

The official said he doesn’t believe the attacks were directed at him or any of their offices and employees “since they happen almost on a monthly basis so far and Cotabato City’s local politics is quite complicated at the moment.” (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)

Tupi South Cotabato celebrates Women’s Month

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681331086907
Wednesday 7th of March 2012

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan with reports from LGU Tupi)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 7 (PIA) -- Hundreds of women from the 15 barangays of Tupi, South Cotabato recently gathered for a morning parade around the town’s major streets to signal the start of the celebration of Women’s Month in the municipality.

Adopting the national theme: "Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility," local women convened at the Tupi Sports and Cultural Center (TSCC) for the lined-up activities designed to empower their mental and physical capabilities.

According to a report from the local government’s information center one of the highlights of the whole day celebration was the musical and dance contests organized to showcase the talents of participating women.

Crafts and local products such as the creatively designed hand woven floor mats, homemade soaps and perfumes, canned and bottled products, assorted food and other products depicting the artistic and entrepreneurial side of Tupinian women were also put on display .

Meanwhile, Mayor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr., called on women participants to unite and rally behind the development of Tupi.

"You can be partners in the development of Tupi by simply patronizing our local products, and in doing so we are indirectly benefitting from it…The effect of the increased economic activity in our municipality will benefit all of us," the information office quoted the mayor as saying.

Mindanao power outages seen to worsen as NPC sets repair works on Pulangi plants

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=410588
March 6, 2012, 3:35 pm

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 6 (PNA) – The continuing daily rotating brownouts here and other areas in Mindanao are seen to worsen by next month reportedly due to another round of maintenance works set by the National Power Corporation (NPC) on the Pulangi hydro power plants in Bukidnon.

Engr. Santiago Tudio, general manager of the South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative (Socoteco I), said Tuesday they received a notice from the NPC that it would shut down the combined 150-megawatt (MW) Pulangi plants by April to pave the way for their scheduled preventive maintenance and river desilting operations.

He said they were still waiting for the final notice about the matter from the NPC and power transmission firm National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) but said they were informed in advance to allow them to prepare and properly inform their power consumers.

“The 150-MW supply cut will be pro-rated to all electric cooperatives in Mindanao so it means we’ll have extended rotating brownouts by then,” Tudio said.

Socoteco I has been implementing hour-long rotating brownouts within its service area, which covers Koronadal City and the municipalities of Tampakan, Banga, Tantangan, Norala, Surallah, Banga, Sto. Nino, T’boli and Lake Sebu in South Cotabato; and, Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat.

This city, the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato is served by Socoteco II, which implemented periodic rotating brownouts lasting about an hour since January.

Tudio said that they implemented the rotating brownouts due to the power supply cuts imposed by the NPC and NGCP as a result of Mindanao’s worsening power supply deficit.

Based on the power situation outlook released by NGCP Tuesday morning, the island’s power deficit is presently at 154 MW based on the total system capacity of 1,099 MW and the peak power demand of 1,253 MW.

But Tudio said they received a separate notice from the NGCP and NPC that Mindanao’s power deficit for Tuesday has reached 240 MW and is expected to increase to 300 MW during the peak hours.

Due to the power deficit, he said the NPC was only able to supply 25 MW to their service area out of their contracted supply of 31 MW.

He said the situation was even worse in the Socoteco II area, which earlier lost 30 percent of its power requirements or around 30 MW.

“But we’re not much affected yet in terms of the rotating brownouts when compared to the almost half-day outages in other areas because of the supply augmentation from Therma Marine,” Tudio said.

He was referring to the separate contracts forged last year by both Socoteco I and II with the Aboitiz-owned Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) for a standby supply of 4 MW and 18 MW, respectively.

“But overall, our situation is very volatile because of the unstable condition of NPC’s hydro power plants so our group (Mindanao electric cooperatives) is continually working with the DOE (Department of Energy) to find other alternative power sources for us here,” he said.

In a meeting in Manila last Feb. 24 to 25, Tudio said Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras informed them that the government will immediately send to Mindanao the two power barges presently stationed at the Navotas port in Manila to help offset the area’s power shortage.

The power barges reportedly have a capacity of 40 to 50 MW each, he added.

DA-12 promotes Adlai as alternative staple

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=410286
March 5, 2012, 5:06 pm

By. (PNA)

DCT/FFC/AVE/RSS

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 5 (PNA) -- Besides the traditional food staple like rice, corn and camote, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 12 is now advocating the propagation of Adlai as an alternative food crop.

Amalia Datukan, DA-Region 12 director, said the regional office has started promoting Adlai in line with the directive issued by DA Secretary Proceso Alcala to make the country self-food sufficient.

Adlai (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) is a freely branching upright herb that grows as tall as three feet and propagates through seeds.

Known also as Job’s tears due to the tear-like shape of its grains, which come as white or brown, it belongs to the family Poaceae or the grasses, the same family to which wheat, corn and rice belong.

Adlai is used to make body accessories like beads and bracelets, according to a statement from the DA regional office.

Aside from food source, Adlai is also utilized as an alternative remedy against various diseases like tumor, appendicitis, arthritis, beriberi, bronchitis, diabetes, dysentery, fever, headache and many other ailments, it added.

Datukan said the regional office’s research stations have started planting this type of grass and that they are conducting research studies to further discover the other potentials of Adlai.

“We can complete Adlai’s potentials through the integrated cooperation of non-government organizations, private sectors and the DA,” she said.

“Through this, we will obtain essential results to develop additional mechanics on Adlai production, market projection and conventional and organic crop management system,” she added.

Recently, an Adlai farm technology demonstration in Barangay Carpenter Hill in Koronadal City was recorded to harvest more than three tons per hectare, the DA regional office said.

Adlai is usually harvested every after four or five months after planting. Its grains are separated from its stalks through a thresher, then dried before milled.

COMMENTARY: The titans clash but where is mining headed to?

Source: http://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/2012/03/04/commentary-the-titans-clash-but-where-is-mining-headed-to/
Sunday| March 4, 2012

By. Edwin G. Espejo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/03 March) — Two prominent persons representing the richest families in the country let their hair down and let loose scathing remarks against each other in front of national television in a forum Friday on the future of the mining industry in the Philippines. Manny Pangilinan, whose vast business empire has made him one of the most influential persons in the country, traded barbs with Regina Lopez, she of the old rich Lopez family who are into mass media and communication, real estate and utilities. While the two shared the same table during the mining conference, they are as diametrically opposed to each other as the west is to the east as far as mining issues are concerned. Lopez, whose anti-mining advocacy has rubbed off members of her own elite class, claimed the Philippines is better off developing its agriculture and tourism industries than destroying the forests and timberland in the name of mining. Pangilinan retorted that the country cannot move out of its backward economy without harnessing its mining potential even rattling off the precious metal components of one’s indispensable mobile phone. Pangilinan owns Smart Communications Inc., the country’s largest mobile communications provider with over 60 million subscribers (including that of its recently acquired Sun Cellular Inc.), and is also into the television industry where the Lopezes hold sway and are the acknowledge industry leader. Pangilinan is also the president of Philex Mining, one of the country’s largest operating mining companies today. Beyond their personal differences and rhetoric, Pangilinan and Lopez represent two contrasting and opposing camps on the mining issue in the country today. Pangilinan took the cudgels for the mining industry, which has traditionally drawn support from the country’s chamber of commerce, also offered middle ground where both government and the industry could resolve issues on revenue sharing and strict monitoring of the environment. Government wants more Secretary Ramon Paje of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources had earlier stated that the government wants to increase royalty fees on mining from 2 percent to 5 percent on top of the 2 per cent excise taxes. The Chamber of Mines however fears the government is moving towards a confiscatory policy which could drive away foreign investors. In setting the tone of the conference attended by well over 600 delegates, Leo Jasareno, Mines and Geosciences Bureau director, said the choice is between mining “that significantly contributes to the economic growth in a manner that mitigates impact on environment and improves the lives of the people or no mining at all.” In 2011, the metallic mining sector posted a gross production value of P122 billion, a 9 percent hike from the 2010 production. But Jasareno said despite the increase, the mining sector has not increased its share in the gross domestic product beyond 1.5 percent over the last few years. Paje also said the government loses about P5 billion a year for failure to collect royalty fees. The government said it is looking into other options and models and may adopt possible imposition of mineral resources rent as well as carbon tax. In the end, Jasareno said the “government was not against mining but that the industry should be made to cough up more money, mainly because of its bad track record in the Philippines and the country’s need for more revenues.” Pangilinan himself called on the private sector to be open to profit sharing scheme including giving host local government units their fair share of the revenues. Social issues Former Commission on Election chair Christian Monsod said mining has become and is a social issue given the dismal track record of large mining companies in the Philippines. One major concern he raised is whether mining companies should be held perpetually responsible for the post mine closure maintenance of leftover structures and for any damage that will arise from the hazards left behind by these mines. He suggested that the mining companies set aside an upfront fund to ensure that these issues will be covered in the future. Jasareno admitted that this concern is not covered under Republic Act 7942 or the Mining Act of 1995 . Clive Wicks, noted environmentalist and co-author of the book Mining or Food: Report on mining operations in the Philippines, warned that the biggest mining project in the country, the Tampakan Copper and Gold project poses a high-risk exposure to environmental disaster. The project is located in one of the active fault lines in South Cotabato and is less than 20 kilometers from the active volcano Mt. Matutum. He said the proposed two mine tailing dams with million gallons of hazardous mine leftovers could collapse in an event of a strong earthquake, both natural and induced, or when Sagittarius Mines Inc (SMI) begins blasting the area. A disaster of such magnitude could wreak unimaginable havoc to both lives and properties downstream. But SMI general manager Mark Williams said the Wicks scenario will not happen. Asked what guarantees these dams would not collapse, he said these will be designed to be virtually indestructible. The Catholic Church, three dioceses of them, in south central Mindanao is strongly opposed to the operation of SMI. The provincial government of South Cotabato has even passed an ordinance banning open pit mining operation in the province. This alleged ‘incongruence’ of local application and national policies on mining has been a major concern of the mining industry. The blame game Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Benjamin Philip Romualdez urged the government to look into the small scale mining operations throughout the country which he claimed are almost beyond the reach of government regulators. Romualdez said unregulated small scale mining operations have left a negative impact on the industry. Oddly enough, small scale miners were not represented in the mining conference Friday. Romualdez said the imposition of higher royalty fees in gold production among small scale miners coincided with the drop in gold purchase by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. He said small scale miners are now smuggling gold outside the country. Jasareno however said of the 30 tons of gold purchased by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last year, 68 percent of them came from small scale miners. But the mines bureau chief acknowledged that two conflicting laws on small scale mining have contributed to the inability of MGB to enforce the laws aside from the perennial lack of personnel and government geologists. He said the government is now looking into the situation and may introduce amendments to Congress. Controversial EO Malacañang (Office of the President) is already poised to release an executive order that would address concerns of the industry after it was delayed last month. Included are the royalty fee provision and a possible hike in the excise tax. The proposed EO also calls for the review of all existing mineral development and mining contracts which raised uproar in the business community. Finance secretary Cesar Purisima later assured industry leaders that the government will honor all existing mining contracts. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which most likely has seen the draft order, has cited lack of consultation in opposing the proposed executive order. Chamber president Ed Lacson said the controversial EO could “make or break” the mining industry. But Jasareno believes the country “possess a strong mineral resource base that justifies mining as a development option – for as long as it is responsible mining where benefits far outweigh the costs.” “Left on the ground, these minerals cannot generate wealth,” he added in his opening speech. But ABS-CBN Foundation director Regina Lopez is unconvinced. What wealth are we talking about?” she said. She said Filipinos can earn more when the same mining areas are developed into tourism areas. Despite fundamental differences between pro-mining group and advocates of environment protection present in the conference, all were agreed that Philippines “can’t live without mining.” One wonders what would have been the outcome of the conference had the organizers also invited peasants, workers and indigenous peoples who are first to be affected by the operations of these big mining companies. All these marginalized people would have preferred that is when the rich are clashing, the poor should not be bearing the blame. (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Edwin Espejo writes for asiancorrespondent.com)

Feature: Convergence in divergence in GenSan’s 2012 Kalilangan Festival

Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671330748615
Saturday 3rd of March 2012

By. Catherine T. Apelacio

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 3 (PIA) -- It’s more fun sa Kalilangan! This is people’s simple and plain expression of joy for this year’s festival of the people, the “Kalilangan Festival” which gathers and connects people. The 16th Kalilangan Festival and the 73rd Foundation Anniversary celebration of General Santos City ended Monday (Feb 27) with a even as the day was also declared special holiday for the Generals (people of GenSan) pursuant to Proclamation No. 331 issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III. Festival Director Mimi Abiera said this year’s celebration highlighted the “convergence in divergence” celebrating the cultures of tri-people who despite being diverse have lived to co-exist with one another and enriched these cultures even more. Tri-people refers to Indigenous Peoples (IPs), the Muslims and the Christians who for decades now have shared common histories, cultures and traditions manifested by a long-time respect for coexistence. Kalilangan 2012 is an annual celebration that gives recognition to its founding pioneers—the early inhabitants who were the Blaans and Maguindanaons and the pioneering settlers represented by the Luzon-Visayan speaking peoples, said Abiera. With the theme, "Convergence in Divergence: Enriching Heritage, Bridging Cultures," this year’s celebration was all poised to give more fun and entertainment out of the rich culture and heritage the city has been endowed with.

But the Kalilangan was not just fun, it was also jampacked with educational and relevant activities that offered to engage diverse audiences. These activities aimed to promote increased awareness and appreciation of the city’s heritage and uniqueness. According to organizers they were very proud of the event as it did not only feature GenSan’s heritage and culture but also complemented with the city's vision of “economic activity, promotion of tourism and agriculture and responsible entertainment.” “Our aim is to revitalize and invigorate our experiences of these vibrant and wonderful cultures and traditions,” Abiera mused saying last year the 12th ATOP (Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines) named Kalingan Festival as 2011 Best Tourism Event of the Philippines, Culture and Arts Category-City Level..

On February 10, a Soft Opening for the fest was held at the Oval grounds with Mini Zoo, Plaza Bazaar, Food Galore and Carnival rides as the celebration’s opening salvo.

The Festival’s Grand Opening on February 21 highlighted various activities such as the traditional houses exhibit, snake and fish show, agri fair, recoreda sa barangay, farmer’s day - fiesta bonanza and Caritela, Tanghal-Mindanao State University Theater, hiphop dance contest, RGMA Singing for Peace in Mindanao, cookfest of indigenous products, Laro ng Lahi, sports competitions, motocross, rodeo competition, dance dport competition, battle of the banda-layag and many others. Once again, the crowd drawer ethnic sports competition "Laro Ng Lahi" has “hooked” audience to either participate or cheer for their most betted traditional game. These included Kadang Marathon, Sack Race, Patintero, Palosebo, Tug of War, Sungka, Skipping Rope, Tabanug (kite-flying) and the board game Dama.

It was also an awesomely fun-filled adventure for the young and the techno-savvy as they were introduced to new brand of activity---the Cosplay or Costume Playing but this time, it was the Pinoy heroes who took center stage, not the foreign characters. As it has always been, the Closing or Salubungan “Parada ng Lahi” at 5:00 A.M. Monday was dramatic as Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio led some 1,000 people in a parade to commemorate the arrival of different tribes headed by General Paulino Santos, by whom the city was named after. Custodio, reminiscent of the contributions of the pioneering settlers during the early years chanted tributes and salutes in honor of them taking pride of the significant developments they have introduced in this area. The finale also brought contingents from all over SocSarGen (South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos City) garbed in multihued costumes and props for a dance challenge in Kadsagayan Street Dancing. The barangay City Heights-sponsored Bambad National High School was named champion with Php120,000.00 cash prize. The SPED Integrated School bagged the first-runner up while the GenSan Trade School’s Indak Kabataan Performing Group earned the 2nd-runner up title. For 17 days straight, not only the Generals became living witnesses to the fun, parties and merry-making but also international and local tourists alike who came in to take a peep of the widely popular Kalilangan fest. Nighttime fell and so the festivity ended with an artistically-crafted colorful fireworks display, however, the Disco sa Kalye went on to heat up discogoers till the wee hours. To the organizers, the 2012 Kalilangan’s success was all worth the efforts and pains they have to go through in the course of the event preparation. Now they smile and bask at people’s testimony of success—a proof that their hardwork has indeed paid off! (CTA/PIA General Santos City)

GenSan law school produces 11 new lawyers; passing average improves

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=409708
March 2, 2012, 6:22 pm

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 2 (PNA) -- The Mindanao State University’s (MSU) College of Law extension campus here has produced 11 new lawyers as the university’s passing average improved significantly in the 2011 bar examinations.

Lawyer Mariano Lugares, dean of the MSU-General Santos College of Law, said Friday the 11 new lawyers were among its 34 graduates that took the bar examinations held at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) campus in Manila last November.

He said the university posted a passing average of 32.35 percent in the 2011 bar exams based on the results released last Wednesday.

“It was higher than the national passing average of 31.93 percent and a big leap from the 18 percent average last year,” Lugares said.

Of the 11 bar passers, he said eight were fresh graduates of the college while the three others were second takers.

The new lawyers from the college were Alma Lagayan, Libertine Cagang, Marnito Cosep Jr., Sheila Mae Jagolino, Cornelio Grino Jr., Mary Grace Guirhem, Ma. Jasmine Lood, Sittie Tonina Macasayon, Glenda Narcilla, Anthony Pantua and Ruby Jane Pena-Carena.

Lugares said most of the bar passers were working students from the city and nearby provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani.

He said the college has been catering mainly to working students since it was mainly established to accommodate them.

“They (working students) are quite disciplined, especially with their time. I think that helped greatly for most of our successful bar passers these past years,” he said.

Lugares said the college is satisfied with the performance of their graduates in the 2011 bar examination but cited that they continually improving their standards in a bid to produce more quality lawyers.

He added that among the college’s current faculty pool are veteran trial lawyers, local politicians and judges based in the area.

General Santos City, Philippines Archived News

The older news reports are kept here.

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+==13 colleges, universities in Region 12 raise tuition fees by 4-8%==
+*Source: http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/46748-South-Cotabato,-Maguindanao-execs-set-meet-over-boundary-row.html
+*Thursday, April 26, 2012
+:By. (PNA) LAP/AVE
+GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 26 (PNA) – Thirteen private colleges and universities in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region are set to raise their tuition and other related fees by four to 10 percent starting June, an official of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said.
+Dr. Zohrahaydah Panawidan, CHED Region 12 assistant director, said the 13 institutions were among the 222 nationwide that applied and granted approval earlier this month by the CHED central office to increase their tuition fees in the upcoming school year 2012-2013.
+“As cited in their applications, they were raising their tuition fees to cover for the salary increases of their teachers and the improvement of their facilities and equipment,” she said in a radio interview.
+Panawidan said a total of 16 colleges and universities in the region has applied for tuition fee increases by the March 31 deadline.
+Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
+But she said one institution later withdrew while the two others failed to complete their application requirements.
+Panawidan said most of them applied for an eight percent increase but some also sought for 10 percent and four percent adjustments.
+In this city, the colleges and universities that were raising their tuition fees were the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, Mindanao Polytechnic College, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial College and the General Santos Doctors Medical School Foundation.
+They were joined by Notre Dame University in Cotabato City; Notre Dame of Salaman College in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat; Southern Christian College in Midsayap, North Cotabato; Central Mindanao College and Notre Dame of Kidapawan in Kidapawan City; and, St. Alexius College, King’s College of Marbel, Green Valley College Foundation Inc. and Regency Polytechnic College in Koronadal City.
+Based on data from CHED central office, the average tuition fee increase it approved for the 13 colleges and universities in the region was around eight percent, which is equivalent to P28.81 per unit.
+The new tuition fee increase practically raises the average tuition fee in the region to P400.78 from the previous P371.97.
+“The increases are actually minimal when added to the old rates,” Panawidan said.
+The official assured that the 13 colleges and universities have complied with the requirements set by the agency with regards to the setting of tuition fee increases, among them the consultations with their stakeholders.
+She said they reviewed the applications of the concerned institutions before submitting them to the CHED central office.
 ==South Cotabato, Maguindanao execs set meet over boundary row==
 *Source: http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/46748-South-Cotabato,-Maguindanao-execs-set-meet-over-boundary-row.html
@@ Line 82: / Line 125: @@
 LAP/AVE
 ==South Cotabato cops note improved operations==

Difference between revisions of "General Santos City News"

Revision as of 08:07, 26 April 2012

13 colleges, universities in Region 12 raise tuition fees by 4-8%

South Cotabato, Maguindanao execs set meet over boundary row

South Cotabato cops note improved operations

Gensan hosts Google Map Maker Summit Mindanao

Mindanao leaders to formulate policy agenda

Militants end anti-VFA protest in plaza named after US general

Mindanao blackouts worsen with Pulangi hydro plant rehab

301 ALS teachers, students in Gensan complete computer literacy trainings

Daily outage in GenSan, nearby areas extends to 3 hours as Pulangi IV shuts down for rehab

Mayor distributes 145 computers to public high schools in Gensan

Peace and development volunteers in SocSarGen initiate march for peace

COMMENT: No sign of signing: Iqbal’s Past Opening Statements

Girl killed, two others hurt as strong tornado pummels South Cotabato town

Motorcycles accidents on the rise in South Cotabato, neighboring areas

Police eye business rivalry in North Cotabato bus bombing

Abalos co-accused may become state witness

South Cotabato gov open to tapping nuke to resolve Mindanao’s power woes

Pay hike Region 12 workers seen before Labor Day

2 injured in road mishap involving Pacquiao’s dad

Gen. Santos City: TUNA CAPITAL

PH tuna fishers get boost

General Santos City To Host Google Mapmaker Summit 2012

GenSan journalist files reply to libel suit

Journalist on Internet libel: 'There is no crime where there is no law'

Gen San city gov't readies for Holy Week

MSU launches Nutraceutical Laboratory

'Kakanin' vendor's son graduates cum laude

Over 200 public school teachers, students avail of free newsletter layout training in Gensan

NPAs in Mindanao up 20 percent - Minda News

Over 200 public school teachers, students avail of free newsletter layout training in Gensan

2 buried alive in Gensan landslide

2 construction workers killed, another injured in GenSan landslide

Hundreds join overnight trek in Mt. Matutum

2-hour rotational brownout in Mindanao to last until April

Tupi celebrates 17th ‘Linggo ng Matutum’

Mindanao students dominate 'Pasiklaban sa Paaralan'

Region 12 LGUs urged to take disaster risk reduction measures

Power firm to start pre-feasibility study for 5-MW hydro plant in Lake Sebu

(Feature) South Central Mindanao's Save the Children to help more indigenous communities

GenSan judge hurt in accident

SHEEP-CLP intensifies technology training for senior citizens in Gensan

PCSO millionaires' club reaches 1700 - ABS CBN News

SM foundation turns over classroom building in Gen San

Brownouts to become Gensan way of life unless…

BIR-12 moves to prevent tax record ‘leakages’

South Cotabato solon to appeal Sandigan suspension

Governor Hataman wants more CCTVs near ARMM compound

Tupi South Cotabato celebrates Women’s Month

Mindanao power outages seen to worsen as NPC sets repair works on Pulangi plants

DA-12 promotes Adlai as alternative staple

COMMENTARY: The titans clash but where is mining headed to?

Feature: Convergence in divergence in GenSan’s 2012 Kalilangan Festival

GenSan law school produces 11 new lawyers; passing average improves

General Santos City, Philippines Archived News

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