Difference between revisions of "General Santos City News"

From Philippines
Jump to navigation Jump to search
→ → Go back HOME to Zamboanga: the Portal to the Philippines.
 
(57 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 43: Line 43:
</div>
</div>
<!--- DO NOT EDIT ABOVE THIS LINE --->
<!--- DO NOT EDIT ABOVE THIS LINE --->
==SM foundation turns over classroom building in Gen San==
==Tax holiday for Pacquiao’s business==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671331541907
*Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/2012/tax-holiday-for-pacquiaos-business/#.T65AgOgzCsE
*Monday 12th of March 2012  
*Saturday, May 12, 2012
:By. CTApelacio/PIA General Santos City)
:By Joseph Jubelag




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).  
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – The city government here has given a six-year tax holiday for the newly-opened hotel business of couple Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao and wife Jinkee.


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.  
City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who was among the guests during the inauguration of Roadhouse Hotel located along Barangay City Heights here, said Pacquiao’s new business venture will help boost the local tourism industry.
She said the tax holiday is given by the city government to any investor, like Pacquiao who is willing to put up business venture in the city.
“This is one way of encouraging more investors to invest in the city,” Custodio said.
Jinkee Pacquiao led the opening ceremony last Tuesday of the 42-bedroom county like hotel in the suburban Barangay City Heights which was attended by local officials including Sarangani Vice-Gov. Steve Solon and Vice-Mayor Shirlyn Nograles.
The hotel is equipped with modern facilities including a coffee shop, restaurant and function rooms.
“We assure that our guests will have a memorable stay in our place,” Jinkee said.  


“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.




==Troops overrun 3 NPA camps in Sultan Kudarat==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=425309
*Friday, May 11, 2012
:By (PNA)
FFC/AVE
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 11 (PNA) – Government troops overran three major camps of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the mountains of Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat following a series of operations in the area.
Lt. Col. Alexis Noel Bravo, commander of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (IB), said Friday they seized the camps after several intense encounters with suspected rebels under the NPA’s Front 72 and Southern Alip Regional Guerilla Unit (SARGU).
“After our encounters, we continued to search the general area and found the abandoned temporary camps,” he said.
But he said they found the three NPA camps already dismantled supposedly to prevent his troops from using them.
Bravo said they recovered from three camps several subversive documents and personal belongings believed to be owned by the rebels and their leaders.
The Army official described the fallen positions as “major or big camps with trenches and foxholes” and located near several caves that the rebels had used as shelter.
“There’s a cave system in the mountains of Columbio and the rebels have used them for many years as escape route or for their protection,” he said.
Bravo said their troops have taken over the abandoned NPA camps, which they consider as strategic positions in connection with their continuing operations against the communist rebels.
He said one of their units is presently securing the area to prevent the NPA rebels, who reportedly fled towards nearby Tulunan town in North Cotabato, from reclaiming them.
The 27th IB launched the offensives against the NPA rebels following an encounter late last month at the boundary of Columbio and Magsaysay town in Davao Del Sur that left a soldier and five rebels dead.
Prior to the encounter, an estimated 40 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) stormed a military detachment in Barangay Bacungan in Columbio, which is near the mines development site of foreign-backed firm Sagittarius Mines Inc.
Bravo said the rebels, posing as mining workers, attacked the detachment on board a hijacked forward truck.
==PNP 12 starts early Brigada Eskwela in Gensan==
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1681336548744
*Thursday, May 10, 2012
:By Nirvana Alpha Vita G. Fruylan
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 10 (PIA) -- The Philippine National Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 started Friday its own Brigada Eskwela by conducting series of clean-up operations in public elementary and secondary schools in the city in preparation for the opening of classes in June.
According to a report from the Public Information Office (PIO) of PRO 12, the first activity was conducted in Dadiangas North Elementary School where personnel from the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) also joined forces in tidying the campus premises.
PRO 12 Regional Director, PCSupt Benjardi Mantele personally visited the place and led the group in repainting tables and desks, and in removing unwanted debris in the area as a support to the program of the Department of Education (DepEd).
“We also cut grasses on the ground as well as sweep away dried leaves from the roofs of classroom buildings,” said PO1 Woody Butch Villaflores of RPIO, who disclosed that they are currently in Banisil High School for another clean-up activity.
Mantele also donated P10,000 each to two public schools in Gensan as assistance for the repair of damaged classroom buildings.
The early Brigada Eskwela of PRO 12 received positive feedbacks from parents by saying “this is a great help for parents as this will ease us with the burden of cleaning up our children’s school before the classes starts.” (DEDoguiles/PGFruylan-PIA12 Gensan)
==Jinkee Pacquiao opens 40-room hotel in General Santos City==
*Source: http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/51040/jinkee-pacquiao-opens-40-room-hotel-in-general-santos-city
*Wednesday, May 9, 2012
:By  ABS-CBNNews.com.
ABS-CBNNews.com reports that Jinkee Pacquiao, the wife of boxer-lawmaker Manny Pacquiao, has "opened her own hotel in General Santos City." The report noted: "The 40-room Road Haus Hotel, located right across the Pacquiaos’ commercial complex, boasts of a modern design with single, double and family rooms."
The report quoted Jinkee, who revealed that the hotel "took nearly a year to plan." ABS-CBNNews.com also pointed out that "boxing photos of Manny, as well as Jinkee's own glamour shots and portraits of the Pacquiao family, can be seen all over the hotel."
==Winner in Maasim election protest takes seat==
*Source: http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/05/08/winner-in-maasim-election-protest-takes-seat/
*Tuesday, May 8, 2012
:By Allen V. Estabillo
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/07 May) – With barely a year left before the next local elections, Arturo Lawa assumed his seat as mayor of Maasim, Sarangani after the newly convened board of canvassers finally announced him the rightful winner in the hotly contested May 10, 2010 elections.
Lawa “lost” to Jose Zamorro by one of the narrowest margins in local elections, 15 votes or so, said the PCOS machine which erroneously transmitted results of the canvassing of nine votes during a test run at Precinct 21 in Kablacan village prior to the sealing of the machine.
But in the certified election returns from the precinct canvassed on Monday, Lawa actually received 136 votes as against only 62 votes by Zamorro bringing the total votes he garnered to 5,440 as against 5,382 of his chief rival – a margin of 58 votes.
As a Commission on Elections ruling prohibits pre-proclamation protests, Lawa was obliged to file his protest before the commission en banc.
Lawa won his case but Zamorro filed an appeal which eventually reached the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court upheld Lawa’s victory.
Armed with the Supreme Court ruling, Lawa tried to claim his seat last year but by then the municipal election officer who admitted to the PCOS machine error had already retired.
In March this year, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo ordered Zamorro to vacate his post and appointed Vice Mayor Uttoh Salem Cutan as acting mayor.
On May 7, Lawa, dressed in long sleeves finally held office for the first time as Cutan immediately relinquished his post as acting mayor.
Lawa was one of the two mayoralty candidates from the Sarangani Reconciliation and Reformation Organization (SARRO) party who survived the onslaught of winning candidates from the People’s Champ Movement of Rep. Manny Pacquiao who grabbed the lone congressional seat of Sarangani province. (Edwin G. Espejo/MindaNews)
==SOUTHERN COMFORT: Long time coming==
*Source: http://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/2012/05/07/southern-comfort-long-time-coming/
*Monday, May 7, 2012
:By Edwin G. Espejo




GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/06 May) — It is unfortunate that it took Rep. Daisy Avance-Fuentes (2nd District-South Cotabato) to amplify a bill separating General Santos City from the 1st  Congressional District of South Cotabato.
For more than 20 straight years, the South Cotabato first district congressional seat was controlled by the Antoninos.  First by Adelbert Antonino then his wife Lualhati before daughter Darlene served it out for three consecutive terms.
Their ally, Rep. Pedro ‘Jun’ Acharon Jr now occupies that position.  It was Acharon who filed the bill reapportioning the first and second congressional districts of South Cotabato and separating General Santos City as a lone congressional district.
When the framers of the 1987 Constitutional apportioned the number of legislative districts, it set a minimum in the number of population (one congressional district for every 250,000 population).  Little did they anticipate that General Santos City, whose population at that time was just a little over 180,000, will rise to become one of the highly urbanized cities in the Philippines.
Today, there are over 536,000 residents in General Santos City, well over the minimum.  Based on the 2010 population census, it is now even entitled to two legislative districts.
I have been repeatedly putting forward this idea since relocating here in 1999.  (In 1997, I was commissioned by former Davao City councilor Aristeo Albay to make a study for possibly re-districting Davao City into four congressional districts.  That paper was submitted to then 2nd District Rep.  Manuel ‘Nonoy’ Garcia who said it cannot be done without amending the Constitution.)
The latest incident where I had the opportunity to discuss this matter was with then Rep. Darlene Antonino who, in 2010, was then running for mayor.
I understand that it will take an amendment of the Constitution to re-apportion the congressional districts as it is incorporated in the transitory provisions.  The law provides that no new district shall be created unless a new territory is created.  Re-districting the city and South Cotabato will not result into the creation of a new province or city.  But it has been done before without resulting into amending the Constitution.
Darlene Antonino-Custodio, now city mayor, however said it cannot be done without resorting to charter change which effect could lead to the opening of Pandora’s box.
Acharon was also not receptive to the idea when he was still a may


The two were also lukewarm, if not dismissive, of dividing the city into two political and legislative district (east and west) with Silway River as its natural boundary, similar to nearby Sarangani whose two political districts is separated east and west by General Santos City (Sarangani, too, has a lone congressional district).  This will enable the city to increase the number of seats in the city council which is long overdue.
Silway River serves as natural boundary between the east and west side of the city.
Having only 12 elected councilors for a city of over half a million is a political anomaly.  Residents here deserve at least 16 councilors – eight for each district – for wider representation.  It will also lessen the campaign cost for candidates for the city council as they will no longer campaign at large.  And it can be done without even having to disturb the congressional districts.  But if it can be done simultaneously,why not?
It may be too late to effect changes in the districting and representation at the city council but this could be a good platform for next year’s local elections. (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Edwin Espejo writes for asian.correspondent.com)


==BSP orients businesses in Gensan on counterfeit money==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681336203708
*Sunday, May 6, 2012
:By  (DED/PGFruylan/PIA 12, GenSan)




GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 6 (PIA) -- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently conducted an orientation among business establishments here against the proliferation of fake peso bills in the market.


Cecilia C. Hortal, BSP senior currency specialist said business establishments should be more vigilant in identifying the security features of the new generation currency (NGC) so that they will not be victimized by counterfeiters.


Hortal explained that the NGC is more colorful with features that are difficult to copy like embossed prints, serial number, security fibers, watermark, see-through mark, concealed value, and security thread.


==BIR-12 moves to prevent tax record ‘leakages’==
She disclosed that the P500 and P1,000 banknotes contain additional features such as optically variable device and another optically variable ink for the P1,000 banknote, which is hard for counterfeiters to fake.  
*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


Ordinary people, she said, can also apply the feel, look, and tilt (FLT) technique in determining whether or not the denomination is genuine.


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.
The new banknotes, which were launched in December 2010, are not smooth but a little rough to touch because they are made from cotton and the Philippine abaca.  
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==
Serial numbers are composed of one or two prefix letters and six to seven digits in asymmetrical or increasing size.  
*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


When viewed against the light, the watermark on the blank space shows a shadow image of the portrait and the banknote's denomination; this can be seen on either side of the bill.


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.
Security threads are readily observed on the banknotes when observed against a light source. In 20 and 50 denominations the security thread is continuous and 2 mm in width but in 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 denominations this is 4 mm wide, metallic and stitch-like.  


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).
Meanwhile, the BSP opined that it is advantageous for business establishments to have a counterfeit money detector especially that reproduction of fake bills has become easier because of technology.  


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.
BSP also urged people who have information about counterfeiting operations to report immediately to authorities or get in touch with the nearest BSP office.


The ruling was penned by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice and 5th division chair Roland Jurado and concurred by Associate Justices Alexander Gesmundo and Alex Quiroz.
==DOLE-12 course commits to ISO 9001:2008 certification==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=423892
*Saturday, May 5, 2012
:By Catherine T. Apelacio


“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.
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 5 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office (DOLE) 12 select employees recently received an “Orientation and Refresher Course on Quality Management System Requirements and Auditing” recently to improve the agency’s commitment as an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008 certification holder.  


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.
Romeo Ramirez, training director of Certification International Philippines (CIP), served as the resource speaker.  


Councilors Acharon and Atendido were part of the city’s delegation then for the annual Tambayayong Festival held in Los Angeles.
CIP functions to review, analyze, and reward businesses or organizations recipient of a host of standards to strengthen and help improve the system with the use of “technology, experience, and knowledge.”


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.”
DOLE-12 Regional Director Chona Mantilla hailed CIP’s enthusiasm in extending the necessary support to ISO-certified agencies in the country.  


“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.
In her message, Mantilla conveyed her commitment saying “maintaining and sustaining the Quality Management System (QMS) is indeed a great challenge” but the greater challenge, she stressed, still lies in serving “our customers well and do so excellently and from the heart.”  


He cited that he was not part of the city’s delegation, which was allotted by the local government some P2.5 million.
The cover topics included the “Q101:Understanding and Implementing ISO 9001:2008 – A Strategy for Global Competitiveness," which points on the development of QMS model; the overall aim of ISO 9001:2008 and its structure; the eight Quality Management Principles and understanding the requirements of ISO 9001:2008.  


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.
Mantilla said the orientation has contributed not just on conceptual level of understanding but most of all on the actual learning experiences of DOLE-12 key officials, chiefs, and field office representatives attending the orientation.  


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.
She urged all participants to apply their learning when they go back to their respective field offices as a way to ensure the sustainability and their commitment to the core values embodied in ISO 9001:2008 certification.  


==Governor Hataman wants more CCTVs near ARMM compound==
DOLE XII gained its ISO certification 9001:2008 in October 3, 2011.  
*Source: http://www.mindanaotimes.net/governor-hataman-wants-more-cctvs-near-armm-compound/
*Thursday, 08 March 2012
:By. MindaNews


ISO 9001 fuels best practice and helps organizations to become more efficient toward a definite commitment to quality, which is a powerful force to attract and retain customers or clients while at the same time improving the “efficiency and profitability” of the company or organization.


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.
Alongside its commitment to ISO standards, DOLE-12 also implements the present administration’s 22-Point Labor and Employment Agenda, which is bent to carry out “Human Resource Competitiveness and Industrial Peace Based on Social Justice.” (CTA/PIA General Santos City)


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.
==Separate district for GenSan by May 2013 polls pushed==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=423892
*Friday, May 4, 2012
:By  (PNA)
scs/AVE


“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.
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 4 (PNA) – South Cotabato officials are pushing for the conversion of this city into a separate legislative district before the May 2013 mid-term national and local elections.


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.
Rep. Daisy Avance-Fuentes (South Cotabato, 2nd District) said Friday they are currently working for the referral to the committee on local government of House Bill No. 6038 or “An Act reapportioning the composition of the first (1st) and second (2nd) legislative districts in the province of South Cotabato and thereby creating a new legislative district from such reapportionment” when Congress resumes its sessions next week.


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.
She said they expect the committee to immediately schedule the hearings for the proposed law, which was filed by Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. (South Cotabato, 1st District) last March 19.


“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.
“Right now, our target is to have this bill passed and hold the first elections for the reconfigured districts in (May) 2013,” she said.


Last Saturday, two improvised bombs exploded outside ARMM’s ORC compound, injuring a local resident.
Fuentes, who is the bill’s co-author, said the measure mainly provides for the reapportioning of the present composition of South Cotabato’s first and second congressional or legislative districts.


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.
She said the reconfiguration will pave the way for the creation of a separate or lone congressional district for this city.


A third explosive fashioned from a live 81-millimeter mortar shell was also recovered by police and military personnel near the blast sites.
The first district presently comprises this city and the municipalities of Tupi, Tampakan and Polomolok in South Cotabato. The second district is composed of Koronadal City and the municipalities of Tantangan, Banga, T’boli, Surallah, Sto. Nino, Norala and Lake Sebu.


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.
Under HB 6038, Fuentes said South Cotabato’s first district will be reshaped into the towns of Polomolok, Tupi, Tampakan and T’boli.


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.
Koronadal City and the six remaining towns will compose the province’s second district, she said.


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.
“We decided on this reconfiguration with the consideration of pushing later on for the creation of another separate district for Koronadal City,” Fuentes said.


“It has not affected our regular operations, especially the reforms that we’ve been implementing,” he said.
Koronadal City, which is a component city of South Cotabato, is the province’s capital and the regional seat and center of Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region.


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


==Tupi South Cotabato celebrates Women’s Month==
The city, which has a population of 538,086 based on the 2010 census, has long been classified as an independent and highly-urbanized locality but it has remained a part of South Cotabato’s first congressional district.
*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)


It was originally a component of the undivided Cotabato empire province until Congress approved its charter in 1968.


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.
Based on the 2010 census, the municipalities of Tupi, Tampakan and Polomolok of South Cotabato posted a combined population of 236,370, which is short of the 250,000 population requirement for the creation of a new congressional district.
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==
The authors carved out T’boli town, which has a population of 79,175, from the second district to complete the population requirement.
*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


Early last year, the South Cotabato provincial board passed Resolution No. 5, which sought for the separation of General Santos City from the province’s legislative configuration and the re-apportionment of the area’s existing districts.


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.
Vice Gov. Elmo Tolosa, co-author of the resolution, said the proposal would significantly benefit the province in terms of increased allocation from the congressional Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF and guaranteed representation at the House of Representatives for local constituents.


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.
Tolosa said they believe that being a first class province, there’s a need for the province to have more representation in Congress to cope with its rapid growth in terms of economic and social development.


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.
With a population of 827,200 based on the 2010 census, the province’s total population was projected to reach around 851,000 this year based on its annual average growth rate of 1.46 percent.


“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.
==Comelec brings PWDs registration to GenSan barangays==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=423668
*Thursday, May 3, 2012
:By  (PNA)
FFC/AVE/RSS


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.
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 3 (PNA) – In a bid to encourage persons with disabilities (PWDs) to take part in the 2013 mid-term elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec)office here has brought the its ongoing registration down to the barangays, an official said.


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 even then, at least 11 PWDs have registered from the start of the year until last week, local Comelec data showed.


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.
Clint Vincent Dumaguit, Comelec election assistant officer II here, said they actually began bringing the Comelec registration down to the barangay level in May last year not just to serve the PWDs but the general public as well.


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.
“Some PWDs have the tendency to be ashamed to go to our office so we come to the villages to make the registration easier for them,” he said.


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.
On normal days in the Comelec office at the back of the old city hall building, he added that they give special priority to differently-abled persons through the “PWD lane” especially when the lines are long.


“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.
The local Comelec office also accords special accommodation to pregnant women and older persons applying to become registered voters, Dumaguit 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.
Special registration for PWDs in the city started on April 2 until April 30, with intermittent off days.


“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.
The venue should have been at the first floor of the old city hall building but the city Comelec, aside from bringing it to the barangay level, hold the special registration at its office in the second floor at the back of the city hall building.


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 city has 26 barangays and so far the PWDs who registered came from the six villages of Buayan, Calumpang, City Heights, Fatima, Katangawan and Labangal, Dumaguit said.


The power barges reportedly have a capacity of 40 to 50 MW each, he added.
He said they went to the villages with the support of the barangay governments, although there were some who did not lend help due to scarce resources.


==DA-12 promotes Adlai as alternative staple==
With the latter case, Dumaguit said they just forego that barangay unit.
*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


But he hoped that PWDs who did not come out for the special registration would enlist themselves as the Comelec has a continuing registration until October 31, 2012.


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.
==Gov’t Aids Davao Sur Villagers==
*Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/358587/gov-t-aids-davao-sur-villagers
*Wednesday, May 2, 2012
:By JOSEPH JUBELAG


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.
44 Agencies Provide Various Programs And Services To Remote Community


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.
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Some 2,000 residents of Malita town in Davao del Sur have benefited from the convergence of programs and services conducted by the Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies (ARENA) in Region-11 and the Army’s 10th Infantry Division recently.


Adlai is used to make body accessories like beads and bracelets, according to a statement from the DA regional office.
Some 44 national government agencies provided services to the local residents, including job fairs, medical missions, and educational campaign during the activity, said ARENA-11 president Achilles Gerard Bravo.


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.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) offered an array of employment facilitation services for an easier and faster means of finding jobs.


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.
The Department of Health (DOH) assisted rural health units in its distribution of medicines, information, education, and communication materials.


“We can complete Adlai’s potentials through the integrated cooperation of non-government organizations, private sectors and the DA,” she said.
While the Department of Education (DEPED) conducted information and dissemination drive to the parents about its newly implemented K+12 program and distributed school supplies, while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) also launched information and dissemination campaign and skills demonstration.


“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.
“The purpose of the activity is to bring the government services directly to the people, which complemented the Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) of the 10th Infantry Division,” Bravo said.


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.
For his part, Army spokesperson Captain William Rodriguez said, through the Peace and Development Teams (PDTs) from the 1002nd Army Brigade, that the government was able to identify the issues and concerns prevailing in the far-flung communities that need to be addressed by concerned government agencies.


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.
As this developed, Malita Municipal Mayor Benjamin Bautista lauded the ARENA-11 for bringing the govern¬ment services to Malita.


==COMMENTARY: The titans clash but where is mining headed to?==
He added that the presence of the military not only provided security but also facilitated the delivery of basic social services even in far-flung com¬munities.
*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


Brigadier General Ariel Bernardo, 10th ID commander, said the govern¬ment has various programs for various social issues, which was exemplified through the spirit of “Bayanihan, Serbisyo Caravan” shown by the various stakeholders of peace and develop¬ment efforts in the area.


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.
==Region 12 labor groups seek more ‘substantial’ wage hike==
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.
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=423207
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.
*Tuesday May 1, 2012
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.
:By (PNA)  
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.
LDV/AVE/RSS
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, May 1 (PNA) – Labor groups in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region called on the national government Tuesday to move for a more substantial wage increase and scrap the regional wage board in the region.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 3 (PIA) -- It’s more fun sa Kalilangan!
Hundreds of private workers belonging to organized labor unions in the region issued such call as they staged protest actions here and in other key cities in the area in commemoration of the 110th International Labor Day.
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.
Adelaida Segumpan, Kilusang Mayong Uno (KMU) spokesperson in Region 12, noted the “heaven and earth” disparity between the daily minimum wage rate and the estimated cost of living level in the area.
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.
She said that while private sector workers get a minimum daily pay of up to P270, the daily cost of living for a family to live decently should not be less than P700.


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.
“What the workers needed now is substantial wage increase in order for us to cope up with the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products, basic commodities and services,” Segumpan said.
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.
She described the recently approved P10 to P14 daily wage increase in the region “as a meager amount meant to pacify workers’ wrath against the callousness of the Aquino administration.”
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)


Ryan Lariba, spokesperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said they are pushing for the abolition of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board as it supposedly serves more the concerns of the employers and not the workers.


“The wage board [has] become the mouthpiece of big businesses,” he said.


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.


Meantime, thousands of jobseekers trooped to the three regional jobs fair organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 12.


Chona Mantilla, DOLE-12 regional director, said the three jobs fair opened smoothly and they expect that more local job seekers will be hired on-the-spot in today’s activities.


The job fairs were done simultaneously at the KCC Mall here, Southseas Mall in Cotabato City and the city gymnasium in Kidapawan City.


“We’re targeting at least 15 percent of our job seekers to be hired on-the-spot,” Mantilla said.


She added that DOLE and its attached agencies are continually working to protect the rights and welfare of private workers in the region.


==GenSan law school produces 11 new lawyers; passing average improves==
==14,000 jobs at stake in three Labor Day jobs fair in Region 12==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=409708
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=422981
*March 2, 2012, 6:22 pm
*Monday, April 30, 2012
:By. (PNA)  
:By. (PNA)  
FFC/AVE
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.
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 30 (PNA) – About 14,000 local and overseas job placements will be opened to jobseekers in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region during the simultaneous Labor Day jobs fair here and in two other cities in the region on Tuesday.


He said the university posted a passing average of 32.35 percent in the 2011 bar exams based on the results released last Wednesday.
Chona Mantilla, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 12 director, said Monday the three regional jobs fair are among the highlights of the agency’s celebration of the Labor Day in the area.


“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.
She said the jobs fair will be held at the KCC Mall here, South Seas Mall in Cotabato City and the city gymnasium of Kidapawan City.


Of the 11 bar passers, he said eight were fresh graduates of the college while the three others were second takers.
On Monday, a pre-Labor Day jobs fair was also held at the Gaisano Grand Mall in Koronadal City.


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.
“Our attached and allied agencies will also render free services, seminars and orientations to our job seekers and concerned residents,” Mantilla said.


Lugares said most of the bar passers were working students from the city and nearby provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani.
Among the government agencies that signified to put up booths at the jobs fair venues were the Social Security System, National Bureau of Investigation, Pag-IBIG Fund and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.


He said the college has been catering mainly to working students since it was mainly established to accommodate them.
As of Monday, Mantilla said 114 companies and job placement agencies from the area as well as other key cities in the country have signified to join the activity.


“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.
She said they include 62 recruitment agencies that will offer 10,315 overseas placement opportunities, to both professional and skilled job seekers.


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.
A total of 3,452 local jobs will also be opened during the three jobs fair, Mantilla said.
 
Dominia Milan, DOLE Sarangani-General Santos City labor officer, said the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will also hold orientations for beneficiaries of its convergence program.
 
She said they have initially identified 44 scholars or beneficiaries for the convergence DOLE’s Special Program for the Employment (SPES) and TESDA’s Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP).
 
She said 22 beneficiaries each were chosen from the municipalities of Malapatan and Alabel in Sarangani province.
 
Milan said they’re hoping that more job seekers from the area would be hired “on-the-spot” in Tuesday’s jobs fair.
 
“We’re aiming to surpass last year’s record of 200 job seekers who were hired on-the-spot by the participating companies and recruitment agencies,” she said.
 
Milan said they are currently assisting the initial job seekers who have registered at their office come up with some of the requirements to increase their chances of getting hired “on-the-spot” during the jobs fair.
 
==PNP-12 initiates SWAT competition==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671335683867
*Sunday, April 29, 2012
:By.  Catherine T. Apelacio
 
 
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 29 (PIA) -- The Police Regional Office-12 here initiated the 1st SWAT (Special Weapon and Tactics) competition over the weekend to harness even more the skill of members in the elite unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
 
For the first time, PRO-12 brought together SWAT Units based in different city and the provincial police offices in the region for a unique contest.
 
PSSupt. Robert Kiunisala, deputy regional director for operations (DRDO), said that for the past few months, police job has become more challenging as crimes have been more complex and more sophisticated.
 
He said rebels have remained a major threat to peace in the region. Thus, the police, especially the SWAT forces must always be prepared all the time.
 
“Whenever rebels operate, we must find them where they dwell and stop them in their planning and one by one bring them to justice,” the Regional Public Information Office (RPIO) 12 quoted Kiunisala as saying.
 
Undertaken to suppress criminal activities, the SWAT competition, “is a programmed training aimed to enhance and refresh individual’s efficiency and unit teamwork to ensure greater survival rating during hard times.”
 
SWAT, as PNP’s special elite force, is touted to be the show window of the organization, being most of the time at the forefront of police operations.
 
Kiunisala reasoned that it is important that PRO 12 equip its personnel “with the right skills and knowledge” to make them professionals as they should be and for them to immediately respond during emergency situation or whenever necessary.
 
He said the mere fact that their (SWAT) knowledge and training have been honed to greater degree and given the chance to compete with the other only showed that they were “very competent and skilled” already.
 
Kiunisala also reminded the SWAT team that they only use firearms and weapons to protect people from harm and not to sow fear and insecurity among them.
 
An awarding ceremony led by Kiunisala himself capped the three-day activity with the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) 12 proclaimed as winning team followed by the Cotabato PPO, the General Santos City Police Office, fourth; Sarangani PPO, fifth; South Cotabato PPO, sixth; Sultan Kudarat PPO, seventh; and the Cotabato City Police Office, eighth. (CTA-PIA 12, General Santos City/With reports from RPIO-PRO-12)
 
==NDRRMC: 4 children die in GenSan diarrhea outbreak==
*Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/256454/news/regions/ndrrmc-4-children-die-in-gensan-diarrhea-outbreak
*Saturday, April 28, 2012
:By.  LBG, GMA News
 
 
At least four children died in a diarrhea outbreak that hit areas of General Santos City from March 30 to April 19, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said over the weekend.
 
In its report posted on its website Friday night, the NDRRMC said at least 243 people were affected, 134 of them were children aged 10 and below.
 
The NDRRMC identified the four fatalities as:
 
- Rain Jairo Cabilo Dacayo, 9 months, Brgy. Labangal, died April 10
- Angel Bernon, 2, died April 10
- Calzuma Mustapha, 8, died April 13
- Kinjie Masangkay, 3 months, died April 18
 
The NDRRMC also said 175 people were affected in Purok Saludin in Labangal village, 134 of them children.
 
At least 45 were affected in Purok Salafan in Apopong village, while another 23 were affected in Purok Mudia in Labangal village.
 
Samples had been taken from a pitcher pump that was the victims' source of water.
 
Drinking water is being treated and containers being disinfected to address the problem, the NDRRMC said.
 
==Suspension of banana venture eyed as land row heats up in South Cotabato village==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=422508
*Friday, April 27, 2012
:By. (PNA) LAP/AVE/AC
 
 
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 27 (PNA) – South Cotabato officials are seeking the suspension of the planned expansion of banana plantations in a farming village in Tupi town due to a worsening land conflict in the area.
 
South Cotabato Governor Arthur Pingoy Jr. said he is set to meet with representatives of a banana company to discuss the temporary deferment of its expansion in Barangay Koronadal Proper in Tupi until the ongoing land conflict in the area is resolved.
 
He initially declined to name the banana company, which is reportedly working on a contract-growing scheme for a 10-hectare plantation within the disputed area that spans around 45 hectares.
 
“We want the ownership of the area resolved first to avoid possible problems later on,” the governor said.
 
Tension gripped the village last February after a group of Moro residents intensified their claim over the lands, which they cited as part of their ancestral domain.
 
Alleged members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led by Nadsid Akmad alias Kumander Faisal reportedly converged in the area supposedly to assist the claims of Moro residents over the lands from local Christian settlers.
 
The provincial government initiated a dialogue to ease the tension in the area but the situation has remained volatile due to the pending resolution of the land dispute.
 
Pingoy said he directed the Provincial Environment Management Office to defer the issuance of environmental clearances to companies that were eyeing to engage in any business venture in the area to avoid complicating the situation.
 
“These might push the claimants to resort to violent means to gain ownership of the lands and we don’t want that to happen,” he said.
 
In support of the local government’s move, the governor said officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) provincial office have advised local landowners not to enter into any business contract with any entity without its endorsement.
 
The provincial government had asked DAR to conduct another survey of the area to resolve the ownership of the disputed lands, which were earlier distributed to 30 local farmers.
 
DAR had issued certificate of land titles to the farmers but Akmad’s group insisted that it was the real owner of the land.


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


==HPG-12 chief sacked over alleged use of recovered stolen vehicles==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=408871
*February 28, 2012, 9:40 pm
:By.  (PNA)
LAP/AVE




GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 28 (PNA) – Five days after commending them for recovering 16 alleged stolen motor vehicles here, the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) relieved its key personnel in Region 12 over accusations that they had used some of the seized units in their operations.


In a directive effective on Monday (Feb. 27), PNP-HPG national director Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina relieved HPG-12 chief Senior Supt. Jaime Macarilay pending an ongoing investigation into reports that the official and several other members of their unit utilized for various purposes two of the recovered stolen motor vehicles that were in their custody.


The relief order was endorsed by PNP-HPG’s human resources and development director Senior Supt. Fortunato Gutierrez.


Espina designated Senior Supt. Romeo Campomanes of HPG-Region 8 to replace Macarilay, who was directed to temporarily report for duty at the HPG headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City.


Aside from Macarilay, the HPG central office also relieved HPG-12 deputy director Chief Insp. Romeo Mon.


Reports came out Tuesday that 10 other HPG-12 personnel have sought their immediate relief and transfer to other assignments but personnel at the HPG central office’s operations management division told the Philippines News Agency over the phone that they have no information about the matter.


The vehicles allegedly used by Macarilay and his unit were among the 16 units that were reportedly stolen by the notorious Baktin carnapping syndicate in Metro Manila and were later shipped and disposed in the area.


HPG-12 personnel recovered the alleged carnapped motor vehicles, which included several sports utility vehicles (SUVs), in a series of operations in the city in the last two months as part of HPG’s special intelligence project dubbed Case Operation Plan “Inbox.”
==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


Espina, who inspected the recovered carnapped vehicles here last week, confirmed that they were investigating the accusations against Macarilay, who was also facing a similar complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Mindanao.


“We’re presently looking into it based on the complaint and some evidence that we received,” the official said.
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.


Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo earlier warned policemen against using recovered carnapped vehicles stressing it “constitutes grave misconduct that may subject them (violators) to summary dismissal proceedings.”
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.


“Using recovered vehicles is both unethical and illegal, and we will definitely not tolerate cops who are doing this unacceptable practice in the police organization,” he said in a press statement.
“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.


The 16 seized motor vehicles were part of the 26 stolen units that they recovered in the second phase of their operations against the Baktin group, which was described by HPG as a big time carnapping and carjacking group operating nationwide.
Panawidan said a total of 16 colleges and universities in the region has applied for tuition fee increases by the March 31 deadline.


The Baktin group, which was reportedly named after its leader Ryan Cain Yu alias Baktin, was considered a top player in carnapping operations in the country and runs the “re-birthing” of stolen vehicles, from hot cars to commercial-ready units, HPG records showed.
Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.


In a statement, the HPG noted that among the carnapped vehicles that were recovered in the city was a white Hyundai Starex van “that was forcibly carjacked from a businessman in Angeles City and replaced with license plates assigned to another car registered to movie and TV celebrity Luis Manzano.”
But she said one institution later withdrew while the two others failed to complete their application requirements.


HPG-12 operatives seized the vehicle in a raid last February 8 at the residence of Barangay Dadiangas Heights councilor Joseph Salangsang, who had been charged before the Department of Justice for violation of Republic Act 6539 or the Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972.
Panawidan said most of them applied for an eight percent increase but some also sought for 10 percent and four percent adjustments.


Salangsang earlier protested the confiscation of his vehicle, saying he had obtained proper clearances from the HPG, Land Transportation Office and other concerned government agencies before acquiring it on July 11 last year.
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.


Also charged was former Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG)-Mindanao director Mohamad “Bong” Aquia, who sold the unit to Salangsang in July last year.
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.


“Case build-up efforts against Aquia uncovered his alleged involvement in other criminal cases, prompting the PNP to revoke last January his license to possess 29 firearms registered under his name. He has since been given reasonable time to surrender the guns after these firearms were deemed subject to confiscation in favor of the government,” the HPG said.
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.


Police operatives raided Aquia’s residence in Barangay San Isidro here last February 23 but it turned out negative.
The new tuition fee increase practically raises the average tuition fee in the region to P400.78 from the previous P371.97.


Aquia, in an interview aired over radio station Bombo Radyo on Tuesday, described the HPG’s actions against him as “harassment” and vowed to file the necessary counter-charges against all those who participated in the raid.
“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.


==Alcala wants more fish exports==
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.
*Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/2012/alcala-wants-more-%EF%AC%81sh-exports/#.T0sxEIePXQA
*Feb 27th, 2012
:By. Marvyn N. Benaning


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


Manila, Philippines – Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has urged aquaculture companies to export more processed fish products and called on livestock and poultry breeders to venture overseas.
“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.
Alcala made the pitch in several trips to Mindanao, particularly in General Santos City, where the country’s tuna fleets are based, and in Sarangani, where the country’s biggest milkfish fry producer, Finfish Hatcheries Inc. (FHI), is located.
Alsons Aquaculture Corp. (AAC) has already heeded the call, breaking into the China market in January 2012 with an initial nine-ton shipment of frozen milkfish (bangus) for distribution in retail outlets in Xiamen.
Gabriel H. Alcantara, assistant vice president of the processed food division, said AAC would be the first company to test the potential of bangus exports in China.
Being the first to set up a commercial hatchery and having been in the business for longer than 20 years, Finfish Hatcheries Inc. and AAC, both owned by the Alcantara Group of Companies, operate the only fully integrated fish culture operations in the Philippines.
AAC has been into the lucrative export market in the US, home to more than three million Filipinos, and is seeking to target the European Union (EU) as well.
Eighty percent of the company’s annual gross revenues come from its US exports.
By breaking into the huge China market, AAC hopes to further entrench the position of the company as the country’s largest exporter of processed and packaged milkfish, Alcantara added.
“The milkfish were hatched and raised in Alsons’ own aquaculture farm in Alabel, Sarangani and processed on-site at AAC’s state-of-the-art facility,” he said.
Alcala noted that as 75 percent of the world’s major marine fish stocks are depleted, overexploited, or caught to the brink of extinction, the logical option is to go inland, or establish fish farms in mangrove areas or brackish waters.
The Agriculture chief is correct in maintaining this position and the policy has been implemented not only by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which is seeking to establish hundreds of hatcheries nationwide to propagate fin fish species while employing community labor to resuscitate the dying mangroves, which have been reduced by more than 70 percent as of last count.
However, the Earth Web Site, which monitors the world’s marine stocks and land resources, warned that for aquaculture to be sustained, it must do away with aquaculture methods that unwittingly degrade the environment.
This year, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) estimates that 50 percent of the world’s food fish will come from aquaculture. FAO also reported that Asia will be the hub of aquaculture since 89 percent of all ventures are located in the region.
In issuing an alert on the possible dangers posed by less systematic and environmentally unsound aquaculture, Earth Web Site said, “for some of the 210 farmed aquatic and plant species, eight, particularly salmon and shrimp, the methods currently used require high energy inputs and can cause environmental degradation similar to industrial/chemical agriculture or factory farming of livestock.“
It listed the loss of natural habitat, loss of genetic diversity, and replacement of self-reliant indigenous fisheries with multinational corporations as key concerns.


==MIND Da NEWS: Law Ruling Out Truth==
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.
*Source: http://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/2012/02/26/mind-da-news-law-ruling-out-truth/
*Sunday| February 26, 2012
:By.  Patricio P. Diaz


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.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/25 February) — Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, chair of the Impeachment Court (IC) trying Chief Justice Renato C. Corona for culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and graft and corruption, did a Solomonic decision with the admonition “Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” during the hearing on Article 7 of the impeachment complaint last Wednesday and Thursday (February 22 and 23).
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.
On the witness stand was Justice Secretary Leila de Lima testifying why she defied last November 15 the Temporary Restraining Order issued by the Supreme Court. The TRO would have allowed former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to leave the country by restraining the Department of Justice from enforcing its Watch List Order banning her from traveling abroad because of impending criminal cases against her. De Lima stood by the DOJ’s WLO preventing Arroyo from boarding her plane for Singapore.
In her oral testimony, relying mainly on the dissenting opinion of Associate Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, she related how Corona had the TRO enforced despite the failure of Arroyo to meet one of three conditions. Chief Defense Counsel Serafin Cuevas moved to strike out from the record De Lima’s testimony as mere hearsay – inadmissible according the Rules of Evidence.
In response, Enrile ruled that the IC is trying an impeachment case, not a criminal case. The Rules of Evidence do not strictly apply. He ordered to keep on record De Lima’s testimony in full marked e HH as her testimony; but as to its truth or falsity relevant to the complaint it would be considered as hearsay evidence.
In short, since De Lima has no personal knowledge of the Supreme Court proceedings, her testimony is hearsay.  That half satisfies the position of the defense. The other half – keeping her testimony as her testimony – satisfies the prosecution as it can argue for its admission as evidence or have Sereno authenticate her dissenting opinion on record.
Enrile has “rendered” to the defense what “belongs” to it – its position that De Lima’s testimony is hearsay according to the Rules of Evidence. At the same time he has “rendered” to the prosecution what “belongs” to it – the burden of validating truth in hearsay evidence.
The hearing on Article 7, like that on Article 2, has exposed the contradiction in the “rule of law”.  While touted as the “rule” to arrive at truth and justice, when convenient it is used to rule out truth. Behind this, the defense is ruling out the truth about Corona.
Delima’s testimony was testimony by authority – an accepted mode of arriving at the truth. This is employed by scholars in their researches – primary, when referring directly to an author’s work; secondary, when referring to an author’s work as quoted by another author.  De Lima’s reference was primary.
The President reports to the nation from time to time based on the official reports of government offices and agencies. He has no personal knowledge of those official reports. By the Rules of Evidence, the State of the Nation Address, for instance, is hearsay.
In judicial courts, reports are admitted as documentary evidence if authenticated. This must be the basis of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s remark that the prosecution’s case is lost unless Justice Sereno can authenticate her dissenting opinion. This can happen if the prosecution can convince the IC to invite Sereno; if the prosecution can invite Sereno; or, if Sereno voluntarily appears as witness.
But the Supreme Court has resolutions en banc banning the justices or any Court official from testifying in the IC trial and preventing the disclosure of Court records. How can the IC or the prosecution penetrate the tightly walled-in Supreme Court and have Sereno testify or authenticate her dissenting opinion on record?
De Lima’s testimony contains damning truth. But considered as hearsay, it has to hurdle the imposing Rules of Evidence standing on the way; this can be admitted as evidence if Sereno can testify or authenticate her dissenting opinion on record. However, the Court resolutions also stand on the way. The rule of law in the form of Rules of Evidence and Court resolutions is ruling out truth that can convict Corona.
This is the burden of the senators: Enrile has declared the IC is trying an impeachment case, not a criminal case; the Rules of Evidence do not strictly apply. Yet, unless the Supreme Court relaxes its ban on the appearance of justices as witnesses at IC hearings and on the disclosure of its records, Corona is untouchable behind the rule of law.
Should the Supreme Court maintain its ban, will the senators relax their contemplation of the Rules of Evidence and admit De Lima’s testimony as prosecution evidence? Does the IC relish seeing the law ruling out truth? – (Patricio P. Diaz/MindaNews. MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews)


==Anti-Terrorism Assistance team visits PNP 12==
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.
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671329984728
*Saturday 25th of February 2012
:By. (CT Apelacio/With reports from PRO-RPIO 12/PIA General Santos City)


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.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb 25 (PIA)-- A dialogue to strengthen partnership on anti-terrorism initiatives has been forged here between the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 and the representatives of U.S. Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) Program last week.
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 dialogue formed part of the briefing assessment of the ATAP courses that it extends to the country.
PSSupt. Robert Kiunisala, who is himself an ATAP recipient, led other police officials in welcoming the ATA officials headed by program manager Scott Schonauer.
Kiunisala said most of the ATA program recipients were developing nations “lacking in human and other resources needed to maintain an effective anti-terrorism program and infrastructure.”
The program is implemented in six countries, namely: Afghanistan, Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya, and the Philippines.
Protecting national borders; Protecting critical infrastructure; Protecting national leadership; Responding to and resolving terrorist incidents; and Managing critical terrorists incidents having national-level implication are some of the ATA trainings being undertaken to address deficiencies in its recipient countries.
The Police Regional Office-Regional Public Information Office (PRO-RPIO) here said ATA program focused on training “civilian security and law enforcement personnel” in police procedures that deal with terrorism.
The training includes bomb detection, crime scene investigation, airport and building security, maritime protections, and VIP protection.
“I am hoping that through this assessment, we can find more venues to work together for the attainment of a genuine peace and order not only here in the Philippines but in the entire world,” Kiunisala, representing regional director PCSupt. Benjardi Mantele told the ATA team.
He said with the technology advancement nowadays, it is easy to work closely “with our foreign counterpart so as to be able to effectively thwart the activities of terrorist groups that aim to sow fear and panic among our people.”
For his part, Schonauer expressed the hope that “U.S. and the Philippines will continue their harmonious relationship and be one in its goal to have a peaceful world.”
“The ATAP will never cease to continue enriching, enhancing and upgrading the skills of the law enforcers. I do hope that the new technologies that we gave will surely be used in case of any potential attack of rogue elements. Likewise, it will also improve your knowledge and as well as your critical skills in identifying and disposal of bombs, for it will bring great impact to your duties and responsibilities in saving people’s lives,” the Police Regional Information Office quoted Schonauer as saying.


==Medical Services==
The mayor said the alleged "land-grabbing" activities started in 1994 and has worsened during the last several years.
*Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/352380/elders-assistance
*February 24, 2012, 5:35pm
:By. www.mb.com.ph


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)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) — In a bid to enhance its health services, the provincial government of South Cotabato and a local non-government organization (NGO) launched a new program that will provide cheaper medicine packages for various surgical and medical needs of poor residents in the area. Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, South Cotabato health officer, said they launched the surgical and medical packs program with Mahintana Foundation to ensure the availability of medicines at the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital. “This is to give better health services to our poor patients,” he said.
LAP/AVE


==Daily rotating brownouts hit GenSan anew==
==South Cotabato cops note improved operations==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=407753
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=421651
*February 23, 2012, 5:04 pm
*April 24, 2012, 7:36 pm
:By. (PNA)  
:By. (PNA)  
LAP/FFC/AVE/RSS
LAP/AVE/AC




GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 23 (PNA) — Due to insufficient power supply in the Mindanao grid, residential and business establishments in this city and two neighboring provinces will have to bear a daily rotating one-hour outage for about two weeks, an official said.
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.


Rodolfo Ocat, South Cotabato Electric Cooperative II (Socoteco II) general manager, said the daily rotating one-hour brownout will last until March 4.
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.


The electric cooperative implemented the load shedding on Wednesday, spanning a total of 10 hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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.


“As your distribution utility, Socoteco II appeals for public understanding on this matter, which is beyond its capacity to control,” Ocat said.
In terms of crime solution efficiency, he said they slightly improved their rating from 25 percent last year to 27.33 percent this year.


Socoteco II solely serves the entire General Santos City, the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines,” and Sarangani province and parts of South Cotabato, which are under Region 12 or Soccsksargen Region.
“Out of the 793 crime incidents that we handled, 494 were so far cleared and 218 have been solved,” Delfin said.


Ocat said the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has issued an advisory that the Mindanao grid is on red alert status, with zero contingency reserve due to generation deficiency.
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.


Socoteco II needs to adhere to the “Load to Maintain Against Generation Deficiency Matrix” issued by NGCP for the month of February, he added.
He said they filed six cases on Monday against several identified carnapping or motorcycle theft suspects.


Owing to the supply lack, Ocat urged power consumers to observe conservation measures especially from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. of the day.
Delfin maintained that the province has remained generally peaceful and orderly as shown by the area’s crime statistics.


He noted that Therma Marine Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., is augmenting the power needs of the cooperative.
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.


The state-run National Power Corp. (NPC) has reduced its power allocation to Socoteco II, reportedly by 32 megawatts starting this year, due to the dwindling capacity of its hydropower plants in Bukidnon and the Lanao provinces.
In terms of illegal drugs, Delfin said they have so far arrested 33 suspects and launched 18 major operations in the area.


Last year, Socoteco II forged a supply deal of 18 MW with Therma Marine in anticipation of the expected load shortage due to insufficient generation capacities.
He said these operations have led to the recovery of some P5M worth of illegal drugs, specifically mehtamphetamine hydrochloride or "shabu" and marijuana.


Based on the NGCP’s outlook for Thursday, the Mindanao grid has a system capacity of 1117 MW and a peak load of 1247 MW, or a shortage of 130 MW.
The police official said they were able to arrest 75 persons with pending arrests warrants, including 18 who were facing illegal gambling charges.


==Farmers in Region 12 learn to make cash from trash==
Delfin added that they apprehended 12 suspects and recovered 18 high-powered arms in separate operations in Tantangan and Banga towns.
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=407484
*February 22, 2012, 5:31 pm
:By. (PNA)
LAP/AVE/RSS


==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, Feb. 22 (PNA) - There’s cash from trash.


Pomelo growers in North Cotabato are expecting to earn more income after they were taught that there’s money in the fruit’s peelings, which they previously just threw away.
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.”


In a recent training initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Region 12, the pomelo growers learned how to turn the peelings into healthy capsule and tea.
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.  


At least 39 pomelo growers in the town of M’lang also expressed gratitude that they were armed with the knowledge to produce bottled pomelo juice and candies, among others.
“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.  


Belonging to the Pomelo Growers Association in M’lang, the group is slated to receive funding from the local government unit to pursue an integrated pomelo fruit processing venture.
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.”


M’lang Mayor Joselito Piňol pledged to allocate P100,000 for the group as an initial capital following the food processing training conducted by the Industrial Technology and Development Institute (ITDI), an attached agency of the DOST.
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.”


During the training, the growers were also taught about Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to make their products safe and acceptable in both the domestic and international markets.
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.  


“We are amazed of these very promising DOST technologies. We can now be more profitable not only by selling fresh pomelo fruits but gaining much income from its peelings which we use to throw away,” Angel Porras, the association’s vice president, said.
“The more information you have about a certain place, the more it is enticing to visit that place,” he pointed out.  


Zenaida Hadji Raof Laidan, DOST-12 director, said that growers who will process the pomelo fruit stand to earn additional income with more consumers becoming health-conscious nowadays.
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.  


Pomelo, an exotic fruit known for its juicy flesh, is widely grown in North Cotabato. It is rich in vitamins and a good source of folic acid and potassium.
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.  


The fruit also has therapeutic values that help fight cancer, prevent osteoporosis, reduce high cholesterol, and aids digestion. It can also help lose weight, clear arterial deposits and fight infections.
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.  


Laidan urged the pomelo growers to avail the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading (SETUP) program, the umbrella project of the DOST with a nationwide implementation to assist micro, small and medium enterprises become technologically competent.
“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.  


Aside from training support, the other assistance includes product standardization thru laboratory testing and analysis, packaging and labeling, and consultancy services through the Consultancy For Agricultural and Manufacturing Improvement and Manufacturing Productivity Extension Program.
Meanwhile, Manansala said that Google is also encouraging interested LGUs and other local organizations to conduct their own local map ups or “mapping party.”


==Journalists train how to shoot By Jess Dureza (Davao City)==
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.  
*Source: http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20120220115330
*Tuesday, February 21, 2012 12:53:30 AM
:By. mindanaoexaminer.com


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.


GUN TRAINING - Over the weekend, two groups of working media men and women gathered together coming from two opposite directions -- from Davao City in the north and General Santos City in the south. They travelled for about an hour and converged at a half-way location, the Seagull Resort shooting range along the Davao-Gensan highway in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. When they arrived at the pistol and rifle shooting range area, a shooting competition was also in progress with gun enthusiasts from different areas participating in a five-stage "fun shoot."
==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


Philippine Practical Shooting Association (PPSA) area director Jay Dureza (my son) and his fellow range officers (ROs) were on site supervising the day-long "shoot." Immediately upon their arrival, the 30 or so working journalists lost no time and started buckling down to serious work indoors while noise of gunshots of competitors filled the air outside.


SECURITY BRIEFING - The first session was getting practical briefings and tips on how to deal with security situations with experienced Police Officer Butch Requilman of the Davao Sur police command as lecturer. He first traced why members of media by the nature of their work were natural targets of security threats. He also outlined how to deal with them and how to spot and detect security threat situations and how to counter them. There were interesting tips on "counter surveillance."
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.


For example, how do you detect if someone is trailing or "casing" you. Tips like walking and slowing down, then increasing your pace or suddenly turning around. If you are driving, abruptly changing speed by slowing down then speeding can betray a tailing suspect. If you are in shopping centers or malls, spot someone shadowing you by using reflections from glass panes or suddenly entering and exiting or mixing with the crowd to "shake him off." At home, take note of unfamiliar persons "posting" or loitering in the neighborhood or motorcycles or vehicles parked nearby and jotting down descriptions or plate numbers.  
==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


Avoid or change "patterns" like routes and time of going home or to places of work. One is most vulnerable when getting out from the house in the mornings or in going home at the end of the day or at your place of work because that's the easiest and most convenient site to wait for you in ambush. All the attackers will simply do is stake you out and wait by your gate to make the hit. Many other helpful and practical tips were discussed. For example, contrary to popular belief, one is also an easy target if inside a vehicle because the occupant's options are limited hence presence of mind and alertness are necessary for survival.


He said it's useless hiring bodyguards following you in another vehicle if they cannot react timely to an attack. Practicing contingency emergency driving like stepping on the gas or evasive driving for you or your driver are survival tips. Just because one believes he has not wronged someone does not mean he is immune from danger. Bottom line: always be on the alert. By the way, these helpful tips apply to all of us, whether mediamen or not!
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.


SAFE GUN HANDLING RULES - Range Officer (RO) Don Advincula, an accredited member of the national range officers institute (NROI) lectured on how to handle a gun. There are four cardinal rules to remember in gun handling. FIRST, always assume that the gun is loaded, even if you have already removed the ammo. Or even if you have checked it already.  
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.


SECOND, never point the muzzle or barrel of the gun at anything that you do not wish to destroy or harm. That means pointing your gun skyward or downward if you have a drawn gun in your hands and not ready to fire yet. Don't point a gun at someone or at yourself even if you are "sure" that there is no ammo (like the reckless practice of peeping down its barrel to check if it is clean, unless you are prepared to commit suicide).  
==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


THIRD, keep your finger away from the trigger unless you are prepared to shoot. (Discipline that dirty finger!) FOURTH, know what is beyond or around your intended target. If these four rules are followed by everyone, then no accidents will happen.


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.


SHOOTING RANGE ETIQUETTE - There are other interesting and important points or rules of safety and etiquette to remember once one is inside a shooting range. Important first rule is: unload your firearm before or upon entering the range premises. It is a cardinal rule that you separate the bullets from the gun at all times. Hence magazines with ammo are removed away from the gun. Notice that practical shooters walk around in the range with all gears but their guns are holstered without mags.
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)


At no instance should the firearm and the live bullet be put together unless you are already in a specific stage ready to compete but only, I repeat, only upon the specific instruction or authorization by the concerned range officer (RO). Once inside, there are only two locations or areas where you are allowed to handle your firearm: One, inside the specific areas (called "stage") where you shoot at targets but only upon express authorization or command by the designated RO and two, at designated places called "safety areas."
==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)  


Even in rare instances when you are roaming around the range area and your holstered firearm, for one reason or another falls on the ground, you do not immediately pick up the gun from the ground. The proper procedure is to look for a range officer (they are attired distinctively and usually with black and white stripes) and it is only upon his express authorization that you can pick it up or for the RO to pick it up himself. There are properly designated "SAFETY AREAS" inside the range.


In that designated place you can handle your gun, practice without ammo, draw and dry fire, or even insert your empty magazine or adjust or repair your firearm. But the cardinal rule is there is no ammo involved in those activities. The only -- I repeat, the only time a shooter is allowed to load his gun with ammo is only while at a particular shooting stage and only upon specific instruction by the RO whose range command is" load and make ready."
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.  


"FIRING!" Once you are in a specific area where you are supposed to shoot at targets (called a stage), there are also rules to observe. First, you must wear eye and ear protection gears like ear muffs and eye glasses. In that place, the designated RO is the only boss and no one else. He gives the specific commands. Before firing, a loud call 'FIRING" is announced.  
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.  


Firearms are pointed only downrange or at "safe directions." Pointing or leveling your barrel or muzzle beyond 180 degrees (straight to your left or right) or in an unsafe direction (like unconsciously swinging your gun to the crowd around) is a violation of the basic rules. It can result to an outright disqualification (DQ) from the competition. After finishing the stage, the shooter must immediately remove the magazine, open the chamber to eject an unspent ammo, if any, then show to the RO it's clear of ammo ( RO command: "show clear") and then with muzzle pointed downwards or towards the ground, the trigger is pulled (RO command:"hammer down".) The final act is to holster the gun without the mag.
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.  


ACTUAL DEMO - Enough of the lectures. After the interesting session indoors, the journalists then moved to the open field where a "stage" for actual demonstration was prepared with paper targets. Reloads were used. And all of them, applying the rules learned during the briefing session, each fired several rounds upon the close supervision of RO Don. That was to be the best part, spent at the outdoor firing range sniffing gunpowder, puncturing paper targets and downing metal plates. Well, most of it was actually punching holes on the ground as many of them handled handguns and shooting at targets for the first time in their lives.
“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.  


COMPETITION WINNERS - Feeling confident after firing several practice rounds, the group decided to try out for the "real thing." We transferred to one of the competition stages and a majority of them joined the actual competition but limited only to Stage No. 5. Of course their cameras also dominated the "shoot" so expect a flood of FaceBook uploads soon. Their scores were officially tabulated. I put up cash prizes for the top three shooters. The results (media division): Champion, ZALDY CANEDO (ABS-CBN radio, Davao City); 2nd place, AQUILES ZONIO (Inquirer, General Santos City) 3rd place, HOPE TEODORO, (Gen Santos City.)
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 winners evidently were not "first timers" or "shooting virgins". Two lady reporters had the grace and determination to join in:, "shooting virgins" (or "first timers", if you will) Emilord Castromayor of the Mindanao Times and Lady Reporter Ivy.
“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.  


HOW IT STARTED - The day-long event for media was first planned when several journalists from General Santos City expressed concern to me about their personal safety following several violent incidents. Their colleagues were helplessly gunned down by unknown attackers recently. Worse, during the most recent attack on murdered Publisher Chris Guarin, even sympathizing colleagues who delivered eulogies during the funeral of the slain journalist were subsequently threatened with death threats themselves.  
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.


Take the case of media man Boboy Mascardo whose only fault was that he publicly warned the still unknown attackers of Chris during the latter's necrological services that the law would eventually catch up with them. Instead of "striking fear" on the murderers, it even provoked them into zeroing in Mascardo himself.  
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.  


The following day his wife, Mrs.Gigi Mascardo called me by phone asking for help when suspicious-looking men started harassing them and even parking their motorcycles outside their gate. I told her, among other things, to report to the police and get some help. Then, I advised her that her husband must get a gun to protect himself. (You bet,Boboy Mascardo joined the Saturday event, although he came late after coming from an event in an MILF-controlled area.)
“We learned that after the trainings ALS learners are now working part time in internet cafe's and printing press,” Ruales said.


What happened in the killing of Chris was instructive. He was unarmed and driving his car on his way home from his radio program with his wife on board. Two men, riding in tandem on a motorcycle suddenly appeared from nowhere and opened fire. Chris was not fatally hit at the first volley. He jumped out of the car as he shouted to his wife to stay and take cover. Evidently, his purpose was to divert the gunfire away from the car to save his wife and attempt to escape. He was finished off by the attackers while doing that. Friends surmised that if Chris were only armed with a handgun at that time, he would have a better chance of surviving the attack.
==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
POST SCRIPT -- The idea of training journalists how to be responsible gun holders -- with some basic gun- handling skills -- was in my drawing boards for a long time now. A journalist, especially in security-challenged areas will be able to exercise his profession better and less threatened hence freer and not restrained to do his/her job if he feels confident that he can secure himself during critical moments. I felt strongly about this when I faced my own moments during my early days as a journalist. I do not however prescribe this to all journalists. This must be done only on a case to case basis. The decision must be left to the individual persons, depending on the situation they are in.  
*Wednesday, April 18. 2012
:By. (PNA)
LAP/FFC/AVE


It was already getting dark last Saturday late afternoon when the journalists were leaving the range. This naughty reporter as a parting remark said: " In behalf of all of us, we thank you. Sir Jess, for this. We are more confident now than ever. And the would-be assassins will be a bit hesitant now knowing that we are ready for them. Aside from us, the guns-for-hire will have also to thank you. Now that we have become difficult targets than before, the for-hire-killers will now have a reason go back to their masterminds or those who contracted them and demand for a raise of the 'hit money. Their tariff rates have suddenly increased because of you!".


==Gen. Santos City to host BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games==
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.
*Source: http://www.zamboangatoday.ph/index.php/news/13-top-stories/8736-gen-santos-city-to-host-bimp-eaga-friendship-games.html
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.
*Monday, 20 February 2012 12:31
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.
:By. PNA
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.




The tourism industry in Gen. Santos City is expected to grow this year with the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines–East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) deciding to let the city host the 7th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games.
Gen. Santos has been the country's "city of champions" being the home of world pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, Miss Universe 2011 third runner up Shamcey Supsup, and Pacman heir-apparent Nonito Donaire, among others.
The upcoming sports events slated later this year shall be spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in partnership with Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio of General Santos City and Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez of the Province of Saranggani.
According to Joaquin Loyzaga, PSC commissioner, among the games to be played are lawn tennis, athletics (track and field), badminton, sepak takraw, swimming and table tennis.
He added that each country will have separate teams for boys and girls, except for sepak takraw which will be exclusive for boys.
The event is open to all athletes aged 21 years old and below and must come from the BIMP-EAGA member countries.
The Gen. Santos City Tourism Office has proposed during the organizing committee meeting that a roadshow covering the four participating countries to help promote culture, tourism, sports and trade, and improve linkages and ties between the delegates and their respective countries along with the event itself.
Believing Mindanao has untapped talented athletes, Loyzaga said they are hoping to bring more sports programs outside of Manila especially to Mindanao and schedule more of such programs as possible.
Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair, said that the BIMP-EAGA friendship games affords opportunity not just for sports development but also for tourism promotion and improvement of the ties among the focus areas of EAGA.
"We are advancing our BIMP-EAGA initiatives in this particular area of cooperation to promote the sub-region as a melting pot of sports talents and world class athletes while showcasing our great culture" said Antonino, said in a statement.
Antonino, former Gen. Santos City mayor, is also the Philippine Signing Minister to EAGA.
BIMP-EAGA is an economic cooperation formally created in 1994 covering the entire Brunei Darussalam; 10 provinces in the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya; Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.
The ASEAN sub-grouping is a mechanism primarily intended to spur development in the lagging sub-economies of the member countries by boosting intra-EAGA trade, tourism and investments.


==Friendship Games==
*Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/351868/friendship-games
*February 19, 2012, 3:54pm
:By. Mindanao Newsbits




GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) – The tourism industry here is expected to grow this year with the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) deciding to let the city host the 7th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games.


This city has been the country’s “city of champions” being the home of pound-for-pound king Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up Shamcey Supsup, and Pacman heir-apparent Nonito Donaire, among others.


The upcoming sports event slated later this year will be spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in partnership with Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, and Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez.


==Gen. Santos City to host BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=406422
*February 18, 2012, 4:33 pm
:By. (PNA)
DCT/LAM/NYP/EOF


==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)


COTABATO CITY, Feb. 18 (PNA) -- The tourism industry in Gen. Santos City is expected to grow this year with the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines–East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) deciding to let the city host the 7th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games.


Gen. Santos has been the country's "city of champions" being the home of world pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, Miss Universe 2011 third runner up Shamcey Supsup, and Pacman heir-apparent Nonito Donaire, among others.
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 upcoming sports events slated later this year shall be spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in partnership with Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio of General Santos City and Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez of the Province of Saranggani.
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 Joaquin Loyzaga, PSC commissioner, among the games to be played are lawn tennis, athletics (track and field), badminton, sepak takraw, swimming and table tennis.
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.  


He added that each country will have separate teams for boys and girls, except for sepak takraw which will be exclusive for boys.
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.  


The event is open to all athletes aged 21 years old and below and must come from the BIMP-EAGA member countries.
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.  


The Gen. Santos City Tourism Office has proposed during the organizing committee meeting that a roadshow covering the four participating countries to help promote culture, tourism, sports and trade, and improve linkages and ties between the delegates and their respective countries along with the event itself.
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.  


Believing Mindanao has untapped talented athletes, Loyzaga said they are hoping to bring more sports programs outside of Manila especially to Mindanao and schedule more of such programs as possible.
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.  


Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair, said that the BIMP-EAGA friendship games affords opportunity not just for sports development but also for tourism promotion and improvement of the ties among the focus areas of EAGA.
“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.  


"We are advancing our BIMP-EAGA initiatives in this particular area of cooperation to promote the sub-region as a melting pot of sports talents and world class athletes while showcasing our great culture" said Antonino, said in a statement.


Antonino, former Gen. Santos City mayor, is also the Philippine Signing Minister to EAGA.


BIMP-EAGA is an economic cooperation formally created in 1994 covering the entire Brunei Darussalam; 10 provinces in the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya; Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.


The ASEAN sub-grouping is a mechanism primarily intended to spur development in the lagging sub-economies of the member countries by boosting intra-EAGA trade, tourism and investments.


==RTWPB-12 defers decision on new wage adjustment==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=406314
*February 17, 2012, 6:19 pm
:By. (PNA)
FFC/AVE/RSS




GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 17 (PNA) -- Minimum wage earners in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region will have to wait another month to know whether their salary rates would be adjusted.


This after the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) did not issue a decision during their meeting last Wednesday regarding the minimum wages of private sector workers in the region.


Chona Mantilla, newly installed regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), said Friday the board’s members have agreed to defer the matter late in March.


"There will be a new round of meetings on March 27 and 28 that will determine the steps we would take in as far as the minimum wage rates of private sector workers are concerned," she 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)


Early next month, Mantilla said they are slated to attend a National Wages and Productivity Commission conference in Davao City, which might help them address the wage condition in Region 12.


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.
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.  


So far, no labor groups have formally filed a petition with the wage board seeking an adjustment in salaries.
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.  


Early this week, Jessie dela Cruz, RTWPB secretary, told reporters that prices of basic consumer goods across the region have generally stayed the same in the past few months.
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.”


Dela Cruz said data earlier presented by the regional offices of the National Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry, among others, “show no reason” to increase the minimum wage in the area.
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).  


Such findings were based on the results of the public consultations held last January 25 and 26 in the cities of General Santos and Kidapawan, respectively,
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.


The wage order in effect for Region 12 was issued on October 31, 2010. Under the law, it has a life of one year but can be altered within such period if a supervening condition exists.
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.  


Based on Wage Order XII-16, the minimum daily wage rates in the region stands at P260 for non-agriculture workers, P240 for plantation workers, P235 for non-plantation workers, P240 for retail/service establishments employing not more than 10 workers and P234 for retail/service establishments employing less than 10 people.
“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.


==Feature: JTF GenSan helps make teacher’s dream come true==
==COMMENT: No sign of signing: Iqbal’s Past Opening Statements==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671329378090
*Source: http://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/comment/2012/04/15/comment-no-sign-of-signing-iqbal%E2%80%99s-past-opening-statements/
*Thursday 16th of February 2012  
*Sunday| April 15, 2012
:By. Catherine T. Apelacio
:By. mnicc




GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 16 (PIA) -- What happens when a soldier who is a staunch advocate for development meets a passionate teacher-innovator?
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.
   
   
In a far-flung sitios of barangay San Jose here, a soldier whose vision was to touch the lives of people through concretizing developmental projects met a teacher whose passion was to teach, conceptualize, and invent meaningful projects for the less-fortunate.
December 5 -7, 2011
   
   
That was how Joint Task Force (JTF) GenSan commander Philippine Army Col. Joselito Kakilala came to meet teacher-thinker William Moraca, a school head then of Klolang Primary School and Datal Salvan Elementary School.
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.
Kakilala being so involved in the Task Force community works has seen the potential of Moraca as instrument in developing sitios Klolang and Datal Salvan, San Jose thru his electrification and water system inventions.
   
   
Sitio Klolang has some 45 houses. It had no light to either inspire children to study harder or provide entertainment for adults. Datal Salvan, on the other hand, had no decent water system to call its own. Consequently, both communities lived then in sheer bleakness and misery day and night.
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.
   
   
Thus Moraca came up with the idea of seriously considering an electrification project on his own volition for sitio Klolang.
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.      
   
   
Kakilala, a Presidential Lingkod Bayan awardee has led JTF since assuming office to become a visible force in responding to various community needs in accordance with the unit’s capability.
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”.
   
   
Through Kakilala’s vanguard of leadership, JTF evolved not only as mere security peacekeepers of General Santos City but it went the “extra mile” to extend assistance in select areas where uplifting human welfare is seldom met, and that included Klolang and Datal Salvan.
   
   
Moraca’s areas of responsibility were perfect for this aspiration, so JTF through Kakilala set foot in making a teacher’s dream soon come true.
January 9 – 11, 2012
   
   
The 3,809-hectare spread San Jose, 17.5 km from the city proper, considered as one of the productive barangays of GenSan nestled in a rolling hills of large plantation of banana, pineapple, asparagus, corn, mango, coconut and other agricultural products, is underdeveloped, lacking facilities to address the needs of its 22 sitios or puroks.
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]
 
With a population of 7,651, the barangay has 1,614 households belonging to indigenous people groups, Blaan and Tboli.
==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
Some of its sitios like Klolang “does not have access to electricity and its farm-to-market roads were oftentimes destroyed by water during heavy rainfalls,” said Col. Kakilala.
*Saturday, April 14. 2012
The situation, however, never discouraged the kind-hearted Moraca as he went on to serve the village children with all-out support.
:By.  (PNA)
LAP/AVE
Instead of complaining his plight and that of his pupil, Moraca thought of a brilliant solution to give himself, his pupils, and the whole community some sort of comfort and hope.
 
Moraca built a rotary windmill-type ventilation made of galvanized iron. He later converted it as source of electricity by attaching a bearing and shaft connected to an alternator that charges from a 12-volt wet-cell battery.
Not yet contented, he further connected the now tangible apparatus to “a converter to produce 220 volts amperes and 3,000 watts capacity.”
A complete power amenity now, it was then installed at the rooftop of Klolang school building with the help of JTF soldiers.
Col. Kakilala then decided to extend the electrification outside the school to reach several houses by putting in some more funds to enhance and expand the project. He made sure the project will be completed by providing all the needed supplies and materials mobilizing his men to ensure that assistance will not be derailed.
Since October, Moraca’s power-generating windmill has been enjoyed by some 300 residents in Sitio Klolang. Because of this, village children can now study their lessons and both adults and children have now access to cable television out of free electricity.
By nature, innovativeness never ceases in Moraca’s mind. He came up once again with an idea of water system by putting up “magnetic force fan from which draws water from a downstream spring beside a 40-feet river.” With an almost 45-degree slope, fresh water goes up and serves the community of sitio Datal Salvan today. With the water system in place, Datal Salvan’s children now use the fresh water in bathing and cleaning themselves to be able to observe proper hygiene. Before, they had to go up hilly slope to fetch water from a river.
Col. Kakilala said Moraca’s inventions opened the eyes of government officials to acknowledge and address the need of the underdeveloped rural communities. He attributed the inventions as trailblazers for other programs and projects to pour in the areas.
Both projects were inaugurated in October 2011 with JTF-GenSan leading the activity.
   
For villagers, life is not the same anymore, now they have an electricity to light up their lives and water to sustain them—all born out of good partnership between a concerned individual and a government representative, who both have the commitment and mandate to serve. (CTA/PIA General Santos City)


==GenSan ups security for Kalilangan Festival==
*Source: http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/02/15/gensan-ups-security-for-kalilangan-festival/
* Wednesday| February 15, 2012
:By.  Allen V. Estabillo


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.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/14 February) – Police have raised the security alert in the entire city in preparation for the city’s upcoming week-long 73rd foundation anniversary celebration and 16th Kalilangan Festival.
==Motorcycles accidents on the rise in South Cotabato, neighboring areas==
Senior Supt. Cedric Train, city police director, said Tuesday they deployed additional personnel at the oval plaza and other public places in the city as part of their security plan for the festivities, which would formally start on Feb. 21 and end on Feb. 27.
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=419237
Aside from the tightened security measures, Train said they have intensified their intelligence monitoring against possible plans by local terror and criminal groups to disrupt the upcoming celebrations.
*April 13, 2012, 4:55 pm
“We have assigned around 200 police personnel to secure the oval plaza grounds and other festival venues,” the police official said.
:By.  (PNA)
FFC/AVE/AC
He said their deployment would be augmented by elements from the Army-led Joint Task Force GenSan, Police Regional Office 12’s regional public safety battalion and barangay peacekeeping action teams.
Train said they have coordinated with officials of the Mindanao State University-General Santos, which is the organizer of this year’s celebration, to ensure the proper implementation of their prepared security plan in all festival activities.
He said they have made some adjustments with last year’s security measures due to some changes in this year’s lined up activities.
Among them is the holding of the “Kalilangan sa Barangay” in some barangay centers as part of the highlights of this year’s festivities, he said.
This year’s festivities will focus on the theme: “Convergence in Divergence: Enriching Heritage, Bridging Cultures.”
MSU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mary Lynn Abiera, Kalilangan festival director, said this year’s celebration will highlight the convergence of the tri-people – Christians, Lumads or Indigenous Peoples, and Muslims – who have lived in co-existence with one another since the first settlement in the area was established seven decades ago.
“It will showcase the city’s rich heritage and culture and also serve as a venue for fostering mutual respect for our diverse beliefs and values,” she said.
Among the highlights of this year’s festivities are the Kalilangan night market, farmers’ day, rodeo competition, agri fair, traditional houses exhibit, snake and fish show, cook fest of indigenous products, history forum, cosplay featuring Pinoy characters, Kulintangan-Pangalay showcase and Kadsagayan street dancing competition.
   
Organizers also lined up nightly shows at the oval plaza, concerts, sports competitions, theatrical shows, workshops, among others. Last week, the Kalilangan bazaar, carnival, mini zoo, and food stalls at the oval plaza grounds initially opened to jumpstart the pre-festival activities. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)


==No need for wage hike yet in Region 12 -DoLE==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=405454
*February 14, 2012, 4:02 pm
:By. (PNA)
LDV/AVE/RSS




GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 14 (PNA) –- The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region is not keen on another wage adjustment for private workers in the area, as the region’s economy has reportedly remained stable during the past several months.
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.


Jessie dela Cruz, Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) secretary, said Tuesday the prices of basic consumer goods have generally stayed on the same level in various markets in the region.
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.


“Based on the recent consultations, the prices of basic consumer goods have not moved except for a few. The price changes may not be enough to warrant another wage increase for private workers,” he said.
He said 211 cases involved single motorcycles, 22 tricycles while the rest concerned four-wheeled vehicles.


Dela Cruz noted that there is no supervening condition in Region 12 so far based on data presented by the regional offices of the National Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry.
He said the victims comprised 218 drivers, 109 passengers and 87 bystanders who were either killed or sustained serious injuries.


A declaration of a supervening condition, which, among others, can be triggered by continuous increase in prices of basic commodities, would warrant an adjustment in the salaries of workers even if the one-year wage order prescription has not expired.
Of the injured victims, 153 sustained abrasions, 68 with lacerations and 17 with bone fractures.


The wage order in effect for Region 12 was approved on October 31, 2010. It directed a two-tranche increase of P15 for the daily cost of living allowance of private sector workers.
“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 NEDA report in particular states that prices of consumer goods have remained stable across the region, Dela Cruz 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 admitted that prices of fuel products in the region have gone up, but claimed that “it was not an enough supervening condition” to adjust the salaries of workers since there are also oil price roll backs.
He said 52 road accidents were recorded in the city in January followed by 21 in February.


The RTWPB conducted public consultations last January 25 and 26, in the cities of General Santos and Kidapawan, respectively.
In the first two weeks of March, Aturdido said the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital already recorded a total of 30 accidents in the area.


The results of these consultations will be tackled by the RTWPB on Wednesday for decision, Dela Cruz said.
He said reckless driving, over speeding, distraction from cellular phones and substance abuses were among the main causes of accidents that involved teenage drivers.


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.
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.


Based on Wage Order XII-16, the minimum daily wage rates in the region stands at P260 for non-agriculture workers, P240 for plantation workers, P235 for non-plantation workers, P240 for retail/service establishments employing not more than 10 workers and P234 for retail/service establishments employing less than 10 people.
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.


==Floods submerge 2 GenSan villages==
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.
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=405154
* February 13, 2012, 4:00 pm
:By. Allen Estabillo


==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, Feb. 13 (PNA) – Hundreds of houses in two villages here were submerged in flood waters as another major waterway swelled anew over the weekend due to heavy rains during the last two days.


Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio said Monday significant portions of Barangays Lagao and Baluan here have remained flooded due to the impounding of huge volumes of flood waters from the nearby Kalaja River.
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.


Citing their initial assessment, she said the floods already affected 630 families that were situated in low-lying areas of the two villages.
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.


“The flood waters reached waist-deep in some areas but there has been no evacuation as the affected residents decided to just remain in their areas,” the mayor said.
“Curiously, only the buses of Rural Transit have been attacked when there are many other passenger [buses] plying the same route,” he said.


Custodio said the flood waters from Kalaja River started to swell toward the area on Sunday following almost 10 hours of heavy rains as triggered by a passing Low Pressure Area.
Khu said that since 2009, there have been 10 bomb attacks against the units of Rural Transit.


She said the river’s waters, which drain towards the Buayan Creek and end up in the Sarangani Bay, failed to follow its normal course due to some barriers clogging portions of the waterway and the high tide in the bay.
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 mayor said she has dispatched personnel from the city’s social welfare, agriculture, veterinary and engineering offices to assess the damage wrought by the floods, especially on properties and agricultural crops.
The bus was bound for Cagayan de Oro and came from Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat.


Custodio said personnel from the National Irrigation Administration and the Department of Agriculture proceeded to the area to look into the situation.
Khu said the improvised explosive device that was planted inside the bus was fashioned from a .60 mm mortar shell.


The City Engineering Office has initially deployed a backhoe in nearby Barangay Bula to relieve the clogged portions of the river’s outlet, she said.
The police official said they would not have theorized business rivalry if other buses plying the same route were also attacked.


“We also provided relief goods to the affected residents and we’re looking at releasing additional assistance to those whose houses were damaged by the floods,” said Custodio, who supervised the relief operations in the area on Monday morning.
Khu said they hope to crack the case with the help of a witness who saw the man who allegedly planted the improvised bomb.


Aside from the declogging operations and the implementation of other remedial measures, Custodio said the city government is currently studying the possibility of restoring the closed portions of the original waterway or outlet of Kalaja River to end the perennial flooding in the area.
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.


She said the river’s normal flow towards its outlet had been altered these past years due to developments within the private properties that it traversed.
==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


Some property owners reportedly closed down portions of the river’s natural waterway to give way to some land developments, she said.


“We will be seeking the assistance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the tracing of the river’s natural waterways and eventually for their restoration,” Custodio said.
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.


The mayor said the local government would also seek the removal from private ownership of lands covered by the river’s original waterway noting that they should not be covered by land titles.
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.


“We really have no choice but to free up the closed portions of the river’s natural waterway or the flooding will only worsen,” Custodio added. (PNA)
“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.
LAP/FFC/AVE


==EU urges speedy forging of Mindanao peace deal==
However, Valesa said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) must approve any move of the prosecution.
*Source: http://positivenewsmedia.com/blog/2012/02/eu-urges-speedy-forging-of-mindanao-peace-deal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=eu-urges-speedy-forging-of-mindanao-peace-deal
* Feb 12, 2012
:By.  positivenewsmedia.com


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


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 12 (PNA) – While calling for the speedy forging of a final peace agreement, ambassadors from the European Union have reiterated their support to the Mindanao peace process, wherein the regional bloc currently provides P180 million in grants.
Valesa said the prosecution will try to present Radam during Abalos’ next bail hearing on April 18.
EU Head of Delegation Guy Ledoux and ambassadors Wilhelm Donko of Austria, Jorge Domecq of Spain and Stephen Lillie of the United Kingdom came to Cotabato City Wednesday to voice anew the bloc’s support to the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
“Our visit to Mindanao demonstrates the EU’s strong support for the Mindanao peace process. A peaceful settlement to the conflict is essential for the Philippines’ economic and social development, and we commend the GPH and MILF panels on their efforts so far,” Ledoux said in a statement.
The EU is currently providing P180 million in grants under its Instrument for Stability which supports the International Monitoring Team (IMT), as well as local and international NGOs involved in both the civilian protection component of the IMT and the International Contact Group.
This grant funding is a reiteration of the European Union’s commitment to peace- making and peace-building through mediation, dialogue and reconciliation, to improve the response to conflict-affected populations’ humanitarian needs and enhance the respect for their humanitarian and human rights, the statement said.
Overall, the EU and its member states are one of the largest contributors in the peace-building efforts in Mindanao and the single largest contributor to the Mindanao Trust Fund with a contribution of P490 million.
The EU is aware that once a peace agreement is signed many challenges will still remain to ensure that peace in Mindanao is lasting, the statement said.
“Issues such as the rule of law and governance will become central in the post-agreement period. Addressing them will require strong and capable leadership from all those concerned,” it added.
The visiting EU team urged the parties to intensify their negotiations to reach a settlement at the earliest possible moment.
The EU believes that the timing is right for a decisive push towards an agreement and that such an opportunity must not be missed.
In support of efforts to achieve peace, the European Union will continue to address the development needs of Mindanao, to which it has already channeled P9 billion since the 1990s., the statement said.
The EU delegates reminded the parties that the conflict has an enormous cost on the region and that economic development will only be possible with peace.(PNA)
LAP/AVE/RSS


==R-12 police office launches e-blotter==
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.
*Source: http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/02/11/r-12-police-office-launches-e-blotter/
*Saturday| February 11, 2012
:By.  Allen V. Estabillo


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.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/10 February) – The Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 has launched this week the region-wide rollout of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) computerized crime incident reporting system or the e-blotter.
Last month, the prosecution was supposed to present Radam as their witness to prove alleged conspiracy in massive cheating in South Cotabato.
Chief Supt. Benjardi Mantele, Region 12 police director, said Friday they are currently deploying the e-blotter software in various police stations and offices as part of the full implementation of the new system in the region.
Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
“The installation and testing (of the e-blotter software) in our police stations are presently ongoing and we’re expecting the full use of this system by all of our police units before the end of the month,” the official said.
Mantele and other top police officials in the region initially launched the e-blotter system in a simple ceremony held at the the PRO 12 headquarters here last Wednesday.
The launching activity, which was highlighted by the testing of the software, was witnessed by Chief Supt. Alex Paul Monteagudo, deputy director of the PNP’s Directorate for Investigation and Detective
Management.
Mantele said the implementation of the e-blotter system will mainly improve the administrative and management operations of local police stations in the area.
He cited that the e-blotter system would help make reporting and response to crime incidents in the region faster and more efficient.
He said it would also assist local police units in drawing up more efficient security and public safety strategies, especially on the deployment of police personnel.
“This new management tool will simplify the gathering and organization of information handled by our police stations and also provide instant, accurate and tamper-free crime statistics,” Mantele said.
The e-blotter system, which was developed by the PNP’s DIDM and the Information Technology Management Service, was designed as a stand-alone system that would be installed in all police stations as a means of reporting and monitoring all crime incidents as well as the results and records of investigation.
“It does not only facilitate crime documentation and modernize data storage but also presents quick, fast and reliable transmission of crime information from police stations to the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame,” a project briefer said.
It said the main goal of the project, which was adopted as a priority by PNP Director General Nicanor Bartolome, is to generate a daily update of events or happenings on the ground, particularly in every
police station in the country. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)


==GenSan to launch crackdown vs ‘colorum’ PUVs==
Abalos said Radam has admitted in her sworn statement that she had tampered election documents during the 2007 election.
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=404587
*February 10, 2012, 7:28 pm
:By.  (PNA)
FFC/AVE


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.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 10 (PNA) – The city government is set to launch a massive crackdown against unregistered or “colorum” public utility vehicles (PUVs) as it intensifies the implementation of public transportation and traffic regulations in the area.
However, Radam went into hiding after an arrest warrant was issued against her.


Glenvil Gonzales, assistant city administrator, said Friday they will deploy enforcement teams starting Feb. 16 in various key points in the city to properly monitor the movements of private or “green-plated” vehicles that have been plying the regular PUV routes.
She resurfaced September last year at the Department of Justice.


He said the crackdown will focus on the “colorum” tricycles, jeepneys, multicabs, passenger vans and even single motorcycles, which are locally known as “habal-habal.”
The Comelec had withdrawn the earlier case against Radam and refiled it to include Abalos.


City officials earlier estimated that around 8,000 tricycles have been operating on a daily basis in various routes in the area.
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.


But such figure was two-folds more than the actual number of tricycle franchises that have been issued by the city’s Motorized Transport Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Radam was originally charged before RTC branch 114 of Judge Edwin Ramizo.


“We already complaints of numerous complaints about the proliferation of these colorum PUVs, which were giving undue competition to the legitimate operators and drivers,” he said.
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.


Gonzales said they decided to launch the crackdown to protect local commuters as well as the legitimate PUV operators and drivers.
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.


He said the colorum PUVs are not covered by insurance and their passengers face the risk of not getting any compensation or financial help in case of accidents.
The allegedly tampered election results were submitted to the National Board of Canvasser at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.


The official said they have tapped the city’s traffic control division personnel to spearhead the crackdown, which will be launched in coordination with the city district office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
‘Too much already’


Aside from running after the colorum vehicles, he said the enforcement teams will also implement the “no helmet, no travel policy” and other traffic regulations.
Meanwhile, Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos bared yesterday an alleged Comelec plan to clear Radam and another poll supervisor, Martirizar, to pin down his father.


He said they will check private motorcycles for possible violations such as the improper placement of license plates, expired registrations and use of ill-standard exhaust pipes.
Speaking to reporters, Abalos said he has reliable information that papers are being circulated


Gonzales acknowledged that the upcoming campaign might affect the livelihood of some drivers and operators but he stressed that the local government was mandated by law to properly implement the government’s traffic and public transport regulations and policies.
for the Comelec commissioners to sign.


“We can’t simply tolerate the operations of these colorum vehicles at the expense of the legitimate ones who have properly applied for franchises or permits and paid their due tax to the city government,” he added.
“If this will happen, it would be too much already,” he said.


==84 complete SHEEP-CLP’s AutoCAD Training in Gensan==
“They will move heaven and earth just so my father will be persecuted. I hope they reconsider because my father is already too old.”
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681328770283
*Thursday 9th of February 2012
:By.  Pops Gumana-Fruylan


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


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 9 (PIA) -- A total of 84 individuals from General Santos City who underwent Basic AutoCAD Software Training in January this year  received  from  Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio  their certificates of completion under the SHEEP (Shelter, Health, Education, Environment and Peace and Order) Computer Literacy Program (CLP) of the city government.
==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
SHEEP-CLP head, Percival Pasuelo said the graduates included public secondary school teachers, information communication and technology (ICT) coordinators, job order (JO) government workers, and technical-vocational (tech-voc) and drafting teachers who were trained to document, draft, and design using the computer.
*April 10, 2012, 5:31 pm
:By. (PNA)
Pasuelo said the city government offered the training for free to empower public institutions especially students in public elementary and high school with the knowledge and skills in information technology without monetary counterpart.
FFC/AVE/HST
“For AutoCad training few sessions of this could actually cost each participant thousands of pesos, but under the SHEEP-CLP we trained teachers and ICT coordinators on how to use this software for free so they can also pass the same knowledge to their students,” he explained.
Pasuelo said the autoCAD training is part of Mayor Custodio’s “series of level-up trainings under the SHEEP-CLP in preparing the teachers and students to be competitive globally.”
Earlier, Media Affairs Officer, Avel Manansala disclosed that the SHEEP-CLP is one of the major development thrusts of the present administration to prepare the city for effective domestic and global engagements, as envisioned by former Mayor Adelbert Antonino.


Meanwhile, Pasuelo revealed that another autocad training will be conducted this summer to public high school students who are decided to take architecture course in college.
He encouraged concerned students to grab the opportunity to utilize and maximize the power of ICT to shape their future.
“We urged the students to stay away from useless hobby this summer and instead be productive by enrolling in the said training to equip them with the right knowledge before they go to college,” he added. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)


==South Cotabato seeks P68.2-M tax settlement deal with power coop==
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.
*Source: http://www.zamboangatoday.ph/index.php/inside-stories/8527-south-cotabato-seeks-p682-m-tax-settlement-deal-with-power-coop-.html
*Wednesday, 08 February 2012 11:58
:By. PNA/PIA9-ZBST


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.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The provincial government of South Cotabato is pushing for the signing of a settlement agreement worth P68.2 million for the unpaid real property taxes of local power distribution utility South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative (Socoteco I).  
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.


South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. said the local government has formally notified the power cooperative that it would collect within this year its unpaid taxes that accumulated since 1998.  
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.


He said the unpaid tax dues covered the basic and special education fund payments amounting to P41.2 million and penalties reaching a total of P27 million.  
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.


Socoteco I submitted a proposal to the provincial government late last year, seeking for the forging of a compromise deal that would save the cooperative from paying the accumulated penalties.  
“We need to hear first from both sides - the anti and pro-nuclear power plant groups,” the governor said.


It signified to make a one-time payment of P41,271,295.48 to the provincial government as settlement for its tax dues.  
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.


Pingoy immediately submitted the proposed compromise deal to the Provincial Legal Office and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for further studies and the issuance of appropriate endorsements.  
“But this issue should be undertaken objectively and should be based on facts. We can only decide upon hearing from the experts,” he said.


But board member Ervin Luntao, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s ways and means committee, said they deferred the issuance of an authority for the provincial governor to sign the compromise deal on behalf of the local government.  
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.


Section 178 of the province’s Revenue Code of 2005 provides a legal basis for both Socoteco I and the provincial government to enter into a compromised deal but section 276 of the Local Government Code that sets the condonation or reduction of real property taxes and interests does not apply to the cooperative’s proposal.  
He said they could not also allow proposals to put up the project in Lake Sebu town being a protected area.


“The proposal will be beneficial to us since it will generate additional funds to the provincial government. But we can’t act on it because it has no legal basis,” Luntao said.  
“There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered and clarified to us and our constituents,” Pingoy said.


The official said they are banking on the payment of Socoteco’s tax dues to ease the impact of the reduction by P36 million this year of the provincial government’s internal revenue share from the national government.
He added that the local government will deal with the issue in another public forum being organized by proponents.


==Maguindanao gears for Sagayan Festival; alert status up==
==Pay hike Region 12 workers seen before Labor Day==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=403497
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=418091
*February 7, 2012, 7:36 pm
*April 9, 2012, 6:47 pm
:By. (PNA)  
:By. (PNA)  
LAP/LAM/AVE/RSS
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.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 7 (PNA) - A tourism spectacle conceptualized to help bring about peace and progress in this province notorious for its chaotic past will sizzle here starting Friday, with the area’s security raised to red alert beginning Tuesday.
The existing daily floor pay ranges from P234 to P260.


Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, flanked by military and police officials, held on Monday a press launching of the Sagayan Festival in Buluan town, with the hope that “all bad things about the province would buried be into oblivion.”
“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.


“We want to showcase the hidden tradition and joys in Maguindanao,” he said, lamenting that his province has been known more for violence than anything, apparently referring to the infamous massacre on November 23, 2009 and the Moro rebellion.
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.


By staging the Sagayan Festival, Mangudadatu said they hope this will foster unity among the people to further quest for lasting peace in the area, a known stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
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.


He said they will be inviting representatives of the MILF to the Sagayan Festival so the front “would feel the importance of unity in the quest for peace.”
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.


Also, the province government expects to attract domestic and foreign investments to Maguindanao through the festival, the governor said.
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.


Sagayan is a dance of nobility, gallantry and honor. The festival’s theme is “Blending of Rich Culture and Traditions among Maguindanaoans as a Road to Peace.”
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.


According to a project brief, it is shared by both the Maguindanaon and Maranao, and depicts fierce warriors carrying a shield called “klung” elaborately painted with curlicues, rounds, twirls and adorned with mirrors which are attached with shell noisemakers. In their other hand, they carry a double-bladed sword of metal or wood.
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.


Racquel Magalona, Sagayan Festival chairperson, said there are two kinds of Sagayan, the dalkat and delna.
Militant labor groups in the area since the past few years have demanded a legislated P125 across-the-board daily wage increase.


The province is celebrating Sagayan Dalkat, which is a native exhibition performed in festive occasions through dances and sounds, she said, noting that delna, a ritual healing of a sick person, “is against Islam.”
==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


She said that apart from native dance exhibitions, there will be a "kanduli" (grand thanksgiving), trade fairs, and a carabao race, among others.


For one week, expect stricter security arrangement in this town, police and military officials meanwhile said.
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.


“We will place the entire province in red alert status starting Tuesday,” said Supt. Marcelo Pintac, the provincial police director, adding that a Task Group Sagayan has been created jointly with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
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.


Pintac added that they will start observing a 24-hour security check until the end of the festival, in which bomb experts will be on standby in case there are bomb threats.
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.


==South Cotabato seeks P68.2-M tax settlement deal with power coop==
Albarina complained that Lico for allegedly punching him following the accident. But Pedong Pacquiao and Lico denied this.
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=403293
*February 6, 2012, 5:59 pm
:By. (PNA)
DCT/FFC/AVE/HST


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


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 6 (PNA) -– The provincial government of South Cotabato is pushing for the signing of a settlement agreement worth P68.2 million for the unpaid real property taxes of local power distribution utility South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative (Socoteco I).
Meanwhile, the operator of the mini-tricycle said it is open for negotiations with Pacquiao’s camp.


South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. said the local government has formally notified the power cooperative that it would collect within this year its unpaid taxes that accumulated since 1998.


He said the unpaid tax dues covered the basic and special education fund payments amounting to P41.2 million and penalties reaching a total of P27 million.


Socoteco I submitted a proposal to the provincial government late last year, seeking for the forging of a compromise deal that would save the cooperative from paying the accumulated penalties.


It signified to make a one-time payment of P41,271,295.48 to the provincial government as settlement for its tax dues.


Pingoy immediately submitted the proposed compromise deal to the Provincial Legal Office and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for further studies and the issuance of appropriate endorsements.


But board member Ervin Luntao, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s ways and means committee, said they deferred the issuance of an authority for the provincial governor to sign the compromise deal on behalf of the local government.


Section 178 of the province’s Revenue Code of 2005 provides a legal basis for both Socoteco I and the provincial government to enter into a compromised deal but section 276 of the Local Government Code that sets the condonation or reduction of real property taxes and interests does not apply to the cooperative’s proposal.


“The proposal will be beneficial to us since it will generate additional funds to the provincial government. But we can’t act on it because it has no legal basis,” Luntao said.


The official said they are banking on the payment of Socoteco’s tax dues to ease the impact of the reduction by P36 million this year of the provincial government’s internal revenue share from the national government.


==RDRRMC-12 undertakes review of Crisis Manual for Disasters==
==Gen. Santos City: TUNA CAPITAL==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671328413870
*Source: http://www.gensantos.com/general-santos-city-tuna-capital/
*Sunday 5th of February 2012
*7 April , 2012 SATURDAY
:By. Catherine T. Apelacio
:By. www.gensantos.com




GENERAL SANTOS CITY, South Cotabato, Feb. 5 (PIA) -- The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) here has met with its technical working group (TWG) over the weekend to review and discuss the Crisis Manual for Natural Disasters.
   
   
The RDRRMC chaired by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) 12 underscored the importance of reviewing the manual with the TWG in order to come up with a comprehensive regional version of the draft.
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
 
 
   
   
The council has sought the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) or protocols of the different member-agencies for submission to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
 
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
 
   
   
Roy Dorado, OCD-12 assistant regional director for operations presented the draft manual emphasizing that SOPs already practiced by different member-agencies will form part of the regional version.
 
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)
 
   
   
The SOPs are those undertaken by response agencies immediately within the 72 hours during disasters.
Among those who presented their SOPs were the Philippine Army 1002 Brigade, the Philippine Army 512ECB, 52nd Engineering Brigade, the Philippine Coast Guard, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine Information Agency.
Dorado also said under Republic Act 10121 otherwise known as “An act strengthening the Philippine disaster risk reduction and management system, providing for the national disaster risk reduction and management framework and institutionalizing the national disaster risk reduction and management plan,” the local DRRM office can enforce the evacuation of residents living in hazard-prone areas in times of disaster upon the approval of the council.
Leo Chong, chief of Health Emergency Management Staff of DOH-12, in his presentation, cited the importance of defining to what extent and levels of coordination a member agency of the council can offer.
Meanwhile, Jerome Barranco, OCD-12 assistant regional director for administration, who took note of the issues and concerns such as “who takes command and control during disaster and who should be the agency authorized to give information during disasters,” said the Council would resolve these as soon as possible.
Earlier in the meeting, the DILG-12 representative said the agency has already issued a directive to all barangays in the region that in time of disasters “they can give an early warning sign” to all residents at risk.
The Crisis Manual was born out of the directives issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III to the NDRRMC in December last year in the wake of Typoon Sendong that caused the loss of many lives and huge damage to the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
The President’s directives are to issue warning advisories at least three days in advance, to move and transfer assets, including military response capabilities before the warning whenever a typhoon will affect communities at risk and to formulate a Crisis Manual for Natural Disasters.
Dorado also announced that OCD-12 would be spearheading this year a conference-seminar for local chief executives in the region on the utilization of five-percent calamity fund. (CTA/PIA General Santos City)


==News Feature: GenSan’s 2012 Kalilangan Festival takes off February 10==
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.
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1671328333074
In his counter-affidavit, Espejo raised four points in assailing the libel raps of Aquia.
*Saturday 4th of February 2012
His lawyer Rommel Bagares, executive director of Center for International Law, said there is no statute governing libel in the internet.
:By. Chris Sulit & CT Apelacio
“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, Feb 4 (PIA) - Let’s go! Mag-Kalilangan Tayo!
   
   
With this  welcome tagline, all is set for the 16th Kalilangan Festival and the 73rd Foundation Anniversary celebration, according to Festival Director Mimi Abiera.
She said this year’s celebration highlights the convergence of tri-people who have lived in co-existence with one another in this area.
With the theme, "Convergence in Divergence: Enriching Heritage, Bridging Cultures" this year’s celebration is all geared up to give more fun and entertainment out of the culture and heritage the city offers.


At a press conference Thursday (Feb 2), Festival Director Mimi Abiera presented the activities and the highlights which focus mainly on the cultural diversity in this area as represented by tri-people---the Indigenous Peoples (IPs), Muslims and the Christians. The organizers also  took pride of the event as it’s not only a showcase of heritage and culture but also a venue for fostering mutual respect for each diverse belief and value.
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.


A soft opening will be held as early as February 10 at the Oval grounds with agri fair, mini zoo, plaza bazaar, good galore and carnival rides to serve as opening salvo.
“It is a basic principle of criminal law that there is no crime where there is no law,” the reporter's legal counsel said.


Institutional events like the Grand Opening ceremony is slated on February 21, the Cultural Night ("Lambigitan") on the 23rd and the Closing or Salubungan on February 27.
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.


On the festival day's finale, contingents from all over GenSan will show their dancing prowess in Kadsagayan or Street Dancing challenge for the biggest prizes at stake.
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.”


The Kalilangan has also its annual favorites which are crowd drawers because of their uniqueness and sheer attraction to the public.
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.


The ethnic sports competition "Laro Ng Lahi" will again hook the audience in the traditional games, namely:  Kadang Marathon, Sack Race, Patintero, Palosebo, Tug of War, Sungka, Skipping Rope, Tabanug (kite-flying) and the board game Dama.
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.


The Cosplay, short for Costume Playing is a new breed of excitement for the young and the techno-savvy, but this time, it is the Pinoy heroes who shall take the center stage, not the foreign ones.
"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


For 17 days, the people of GenSan will be a witness to song, dance and theatrical presentations, sports tournaments, visual art exhibits,
==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
   
   
agricultural exposures, free seminars, cookfest, animal shows, gadgets demo, fun run and parties. (CPIO/PIA General Santos City)


==CENRO-Gensan underscores importance of forest restoration in climate change issue==
ENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 2 (PIA)--The city government here is all set for the observance of the Holy Week.
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681328250386
 
*Friday 3rd of February 2012
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.  
:By. Pops Gumana-Fruylan
 
“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.


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb 3 (PIA) – City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Valiente Lastimoso recently underscored the importance of reforestation as a significant strategy to address climate change.
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.  
 
Lastimoso disclosed the different strategies available to mitigate carbon emission through forestry activities and one of these is to increase the amount of forested land by planting more trees especially to depleted areas in the city.
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.  
 
“Forest restoration could reverse the impact of forest clearing over the past three centuries and the same time expand wildlife habitat, provide recreational opportunities, and uplift socio-economic conditions of the upland, lowland, urban, and coastal inhabitants of the city,” he explained.
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.  
 
To encourage community involvement, CENRO has implemented the Integrated Social Forestry Program (ISFP) which is designed to rehabilitate the denuded forestland in the city by adopting an “agro-forestry approach.”
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.  
 
Lastimoso said they have tapped the participation of organized ISF associations in the seven upland barangays of Gensan where qualified organizations received “stewardship contract” for the use of public lands to “augment the income of upland communities and as a source of sustainable livelihood.”
“Ito kasing mga araw na to talagang marami ang pumupunta sa simbahan kaya kailangan ang ibayong pagbabantay,” she rationalized.  
 
The seven upland barangays include Upper Labay, Conel, Olympog, Sinawal, Bawing, San Jose, and Mabuhay.
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.  
“The contract stated that 20 percent of the total area should be devoted for reforestation while 80 percent will be planted with cash crops like corn, palay, and other products,” he said.
Meanwhile, the city environment officer revealed a total of 805.76 hectares of forest land rehabilitated for 2011.
Since 1997, he said, critical upland areas are now reforested and rehabilitated by at least 61 percent or 2,861.76 hectares of the 4,699.03 hectares total ISF area.
“Forest restoration is only one piece of the puzzle in addressing climate change issue, but at CENRO we believe it is an important piece. With the help of our stakeholders, we can make a difference,” he said. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)


==CENRO-Gensan intensifies rehabilitation of coastal communities==
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.  
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R12&article=1681328076122
*Wednesday 1st of February 2012
:By. Pops Gumana-Fruylan


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)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 1 (PIA)—The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) here has focused more efforts in the rehabilitation of the nine coastal barangays of the city to cope with climate change.
==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
   
   
CENR Officer Valiente Lastimoso said they have tapped coastal community organizations to aid them in the implementation of various coastal resource management programs to increase community awareness of coastal ecosystem values and services.
 
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.
One of the vital programs, Lastimoso explained is the massive and continuous planting of mangroves along the shorelines of Sarangani Bay particularly within the vicinity of the nine coastal barangays.
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.
He revealed that since 1997 the city environment office has rehabilitated a total of 23.61 hectares of coastal wetlands and planted 236, 116 seedlings of mangroves.
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.
“To date, we have already reached a 100 percent level of awareness on the importance of mangroves among the coastal communities,” he 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.
Lastimoso also underscored the significant role of mangroves in the protection of shorelines against erosion and as valuable nursery areas for fish and invertebrates.
“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.
He said mangroves are important to minimize the effects of global warming as they possess the ability to absorb pollution by maintaining water quality and clarity, filtering pollutants, and trapping sediments originating from land.
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.
Meanwhile, Lastimoso disclosed other interventions of the agency like the “Wildlife Survey and Assessment within the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape” where they recorded the presence of whales and dolphins; and the drafted Barangay Ordinance on the Protection and Conservation of Coral Reef in Barangay Bula.
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.
He also mentioned other environmental activities conducted to raise awareness on the importance of conserving the environment and mitigate the effects of climate change such as the World Wetlands Day every month of March, Earth Day on April, Ocean Month on May, Environment Month on June, and the International Coastal Clean-up Day every month of September.
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 nine coastal barangays of Gensan include Barangays Siguel, Tambler, Calumpang, Labangal, Dadiangas West, Dadiangs South, Bula, Buayan, and Baluan. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)
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.




==[[General Santos City, Philippines Archived News]]==
==[[General Santos City, Philippines Archived News]]==
The older news reports are kept [[General Santos City, Philippines Archived News|here]].
The older news reports are kept [[General Santos City, Philippines Archived News|here]].

Latest revision as of 11:06, 12 May 2012

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Create Name's page

Regions | Philippine Provinces | Philippine Cities | Municipalities | Barangays | High School Reunions

Share your Photos

General Santos City Realty

Philippine News

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:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

Tax holiday for Pacquiao’s business

By Joseph Jubelag


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – The city government here has given a six-year tax holiday for the newly-opened hotel business of couple Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao and wife Jinkee.

City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who was among the guests during the inauguration of Roadhouse Hotel located along Barangay City Heights here, said Pacquiao’s new business venture will help boost the local tourism industry. She said the tax holiday is given by the city government to any investor, like Pacquiao who is willing to put up business venture in the city. “This is one way of encouraging more investors to invest in the city,” Custodio said. Jinkee Pacquiao led the opening ceremony last Tuesday of the 42-bedroom county like hotel in the suburban Barangay City Heights which was attended by local officials including Sarangani Vice-Gov. Steve Solon and Vice-Mayor Shirlyn Nograles. The hotel is equipped with modern facilities including a coffee shop, restaurant and function rooms. “We assure that our guests will have a memorable stay in our place,” Jinkee said.





Troops overrun 3 NPA camps in Sultan Kudarat

By (PNA)

FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 11 (PNA) – Government troops overran three major camps of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the mountains of Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat following a series of operations in the area.

Lt. Col. Alexis Noel Bravo, commander of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (IB), said Friday they seized the camps after several intense encounters with suspected rebels under the NPA’s Front 72 and Southern Alip Regional Guerilla Unit (SARGU).

“After our encounters, we continued to search the general area and found the abandoned temporary camps,” he said.

But he said they found the three NPA camps already dismantled supposedly to prevent his troops from using them.

Bravo said they recovered from three camps several subversive documents and personal belongings believed to be owned by the rebels and their leaders.

The Army official described the fallen positions as “major or big camps with trenches and foxholes” and located near several caves that the rebels had used as shelter.

“There’s a cave system in the mountains of Columbio and the rebels have used them for many years as escape route or for their protection,” he said.

Bravo said their troops have taken over the abandoned NPA camps, which they consider as strategic positions in connection with their continuing operations against the communist rebels.

He said one of their units is presently securing the area to prevent the NPA rebels, who reportedly fled towards nearby Tulunan town in North Cotabato, from reclaiming them.

The 27th IB launched the offensives against the NPA rebels following an encounter late last month at the boundary of Columbio and Magsaysay town in Davao Del Sur that left a soldier and five rebels dead.

Prior to the encounter, an estimated 40 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) stormed a military detachment in Barangay Bacungan in Columbio, which is near the mines development site of foreign-backed firm Sagittarius Mines Inc.

Bravo said the rebels, posing as mining workers, attacked the detachment on board a hijacked forward truck.

PNP 12 starts early Brigada Eskwela in Gensan

By Nirvana Alpha Vita G. Fruylan


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 10 (PIA) -- The Philippine National Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 started Friday its own Brigada Eskwela by conducting series of clean-up operations in public elementary and secondary schools in the city in preparation for the opening of classes in June.

According to a report from the Public Information Office (PIO) of PRO 12, the first activity was conducted in Dadiangas North Elementary School where personnel from the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) also joined forces in tidying the campus premises.

PRO 12 Regional Director, PCSupt Benjardi Mantele personally visited the place and led the group in repainting tables and desks, and in removing unwanted debris in the area as a support to the program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

“We also cut grasses on the ground as well as sweep away dried leaves from the roofs of classroom buildings,” said PO1 Woody Butch Villaflores of RPIO, who disclosed that they are currently in Banisil High School for another clean-up activity.

Mantele also donated P10,000 each to two public schools in Gensan as assistance for the repair of damaged classroom buildings.

The early Brigada Eskwela of PRO 12 received positive feedbacks from parents by saying “this is a great help for parents as this will ease us with the burden of cleaning up our children’s school before the classes starts.” (DEDoguiles/PGFruylan-PIA12 Gensan)

Jinkee Pacquiao opens 40-room hotel in General Santos City

By ABS-CBNNews.com.


ABS-CBNNews.com reports that Jinkee Pacquiao, the wife of boxer-lawmaker Manny Pacquiao, has "opened her own hotel in General Santos City." The report noted: "The 40-room Road Haus Hotel, located right across the Pacquiaos’ commercial complex, boasts of a modern design with single, double and family rooms."

The report quoted Jinkee, who revealed that the hotel "took nearly a year to plan." ABS-CBNNews.com also pointed out that "boxing photos of Manny, as well as Jinkee's own glamour shots and portraits of the Pacquiao family, can be seen all over the hotel."

Winner in Maasim election protest takes seat

By Allen V. Estabillo


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/07 May) – With barely a year left before the next local elections, Arturo Lawa assumed his seat as mayor of Maasim, Sarangani after the newly convened board of canvassers finally announced him the rightful winner in the hotly contested May 10, 2010 elections. Lawa “lost” to Jose Zamorro by one of the narrowest margins in local elections, 15 votes or so, said the PCOS machine which erroneously transmitted results of the canvassing of nine votes during a test run at Precinct 21 in Kablacan village prior to the sealing of the machine. But in the certified election returns from the precinct canvassed on Monday, Lawa actually received 136 votes as against only 62 votes by Zamorro bringing the total votes he garnered to 5,440 as against 5,382 of his chief rival – a margin of 58 votes. As a Commission on Elections ruling prohibits pre-proclamation protests, Lawa was obliged to file his protest before the commission en banc. Lawa won his case but Zamorro filed an appeal which eventually reached the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court upheld Lawa’s victory. Armed with the Supreme Court ruling, Lawa tried to claim his seat last year but by then the municipal election officer who admitted to the PCOS machine error had already retired. In March this year, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo ordered Zamorro to vacate his post and appointed Vice Mayor Uttoh Salem Cutan as acting mayor. On May 7, Lawa, dressed in long sleeves finally held office for the first time as Cutan immediately relinquished his post as acting mayor.

Lawa was one of the two mayoralty candidates from the Sarangani Reconciliation and Reformation Organization (SARRO) party who survived the onslaught of winning candidates from the People’s Champ Movement of Rep. Manny Pacquiao who grabbed the lone congressional seat of Sarangani province. (Edwin G. Espejo/MindaNews)

SOUTHERN COMFORT: Long time coming

By Edwin G. Espejo


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/06 May) — It is unfortunate that it took Rep. Daisy Avance-Fuentes (2nd District-South Cotabato) to amplify a bill separating General Santos City from the 1st Congressional District of South Cotabato. For more than 20 straight years, the South Cotabato first district congressional seat was controlled by the Antoninos. First by Adelbert Antonino then his wife Lualhati before daughter Darlene served it out for three consecutive terms. Their ally, Rep. Pedro ‘Jun’ Acharon Jr now occupies that position. It was Acharon who filed the bill reapportioning the first and second congressional districts of South Cotabato and separating General Santos City as a lone congressional district. When the framers of the 1987 Constitutional apportioned the number of legislative districts, it set a minimum in the number of population (one congressional district for every 250,000 population). Little did they anticipate that General Santos City, whose population at that time was just a little over 180,000, will rise to become one of the highly urbanized cities in the Philippines. Today, there are over 536,000 residents in General Santos City, well over the minimum. Based on the 2010 population census, it is now even entitled to two legislative districts. I have been repeatedly putting forward this idea since relocating here in 1999. (In 1997, I was commissioned by former Davao City councilor Aristeo Albay to make a study for possibly re-districting Davao City into four congressional districts. That paper was submitted to then 2nd District Rep. Manuel ‘Nonoy’ Garcia who said it cannot be done without amending the Constitution.) The latest incident where I had the opportunity to discuss this matter was with then Rep. Darlene Antonino who, in 2010, was then running for mayor. I understand that it will take an amendment of the Constitution to re-apportion the congressional districts as it is incorporated in the transitory provisions. The law provides that no new district shall be created unless a new territory is created. Re-districting the city and South Cotabato will not result into the creation of a new province or city. But it has been done before without resulting into amending the Constitution. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, now city mayor, however said it cannot be done without resorting to charter change which effect could lead to the opening of Pandora’s box. Acharon was also not receptive to the idea when he was still a may

The two were also lukewarm, if not dismissive, of dividing the city into two political and legislative district (east and west) with Silway River as its natural boundary, similar to nearby Sarangani whose two political districts is separated east and west by General Santos City (Sarangani, too, has a lone congressional district). This will enable the city to increase the number of seats in the city council which is long overdue. Silway River serves as natural boundary between the east and west side of the city. Having only 12 elected councilors for a city of over half a million is a political anomaly. Residents here deserve at least 16 councilors – eight for each district – for wider representation. It will also lessen the campaign cost for candidates for the city council as they will no longer campaign at large. And it can be done without even having to disturb the congressional districts. But if it can be done simultaneously,why not? It may be too late to effect changes in the districting and representation at the city council but this could be a good platform for next year’s local elections. (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Edwin Espejo writes for asian.correspondent.com)

BSP orients businesses in Gensan on counterfeit money

By (DED/PGFruylan/PIA 12, GenSan)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 6 (PIA) -- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently conducted an orientation among business establishments here against the proliferation of fake peso bills in the market.

Cecilia C. Hortal, BSP senior currency specialist said business establishments should be more vigilant in identifying the security features of the new generation currency (NGC) so that they will not be victimized by counterfeiters.

Hortal explained that the NGC is more colorful with features that are difficult to copy like embossed prints, serial number, security fibers, watermark, see-through mark, concealed value, and security thread.

She disclosed that the P500 and P1,000 banknotes contain additional features such as optically variable device and another optically variable ink for the P1,000 banknote, which is hard for counterfeiters to fake.

Ordinary people, she said, can also apply the feel, look, and tilt (FLT) technique in determining whether or not the denomination is genuine.

The new banknotes, which were launched in December 2010, are not smooth but a little rough to touch because they are made from cotton and the Philippine abaca.

Serial numbers are composed of one or two prefix letters and six to seven digits in asymmetrical or increasing size.

When viewed against the light, the watermark on the blank space shows a shadow image of the portrait and the banknote's denomination; this can be seen on either side of the bill.

Security threads are readily observed on the banknotes when observed against a light source. In 20 and 50 denominations the security thread is continuous and 2 mm in width but in 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 denominations this is 4 mm wide, metallic and stitch-like.

Meanwhile, the BSP opined that it is advantageous for business establishments to have a counterfeit money detector especially that reproduction of fake bills has become easier because of technology.

BSP also urged people who have information about counterfeiting operations to report immediately to authorities or get in touch with the nearest BSP office.

DOLE-12 course commits to ISO 9001:2008 certification

By Catherine T. Apelacio


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 5 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office (DOLE) 12 select employees recently received an “Orientation and Refresher Course on Quality Management System Requirements and Auditing” recently to improve the agency’s commitment as an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008 certification holder.

Romeo Ramirez, training director of Certification International Philippines (CIP), served as the resource speaker.

CIP functions to review, analyze, and reward businesses or organizations recipient of a host of standards to strengthen and help improve the system with the use of “technology, experience, and knowledge.”

DOLE-12 Regional Director Chona Mantilla hailed CIP’s enthusiasm in extending the necessary support to ISO-certified agencies in the country.

In her message, Mantilla conveyed her commitment saying “maintaining and sustaining the Quality Management System (QMS) is indeed a great challenge” but the greater challenge, she stressed, still lies in serving “our customers well and do so excellently and from the heart.”

The cover topics included the “Q101:Understanding and Implementing ISO 9001:2008 – A Strategy for Global Competitiveness," which points on the development of QMS model; the overall aim of ISO 9001:2008 and its structure; the eight Quality Management Principles and understanding the requirements of ISO 9001:2008.

Mantilla said the orientation has contributed not just on conceptual level of understanding but most of all on the actual learning experiences of DOLE-12 key officials, chiefs, and field office representatives attending the orientation.

She urged all participants to apply their learning when they go back to their respective field offices as a way to ensure the sustainability and their commitment to the core values embodied in ISO 9001:2008 certification.

DOLE XII gained its ISO certification 9001:2008 in October 3, 2011.

ISO 9001 fuels best practice and helps organizations to become more efficient toward a definite commitment to quality, which is a powerful force to attract and retain customers or clients while at the same time improving the “efficiency and profitability” of the company or organization.

Alongside its commitment to ISO standards, DOLE-12 also implements the present administration’s 22-Point Labor and Employment Agenda, which is bent to carry out “Human Resource Competitiveness and Industrial Peace Based on Social Justice.” (CTA/PIA General Santos City)

Separate district for GenSan by May 2013 polls pushed

By (PNA)

scs/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 4 (PNA) – South Cotabato officials are pushing for the conversion of this city into a separate legislative district before the May 2013 mid-term national and local elections.

Rep. Daisy Avance-Fuentes (South Cotabato, 2nd District) said Friday they are currently working for the referral to the committee on local government of House Bill No. 6038 or “An Act reapportioning the composition of the first (1st) and second (2nd) legislative districts in the province of South Cotabato and thereby creating a new legislative district from such reapportionment” when Congress resumes its sessions next week.

She said they expect the committee to immediately schedule the hearings for the proposed law, which was filed by Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. (South Cotabato, 1st District) last March 19.

“Right now, our target is to have this bill passed and hold the first elections for the reconfigured districts in (May) 2013,” she said.

Fuentes, who is the bill’s co-author, said the measure mainly provides for the reapportioning of the present composition of South Cotabato’s first and second congressional or legislative districts.

She said the reconfiguration will pave the way for the creation of a separate or lone congressional district for this city.

The first district presently comprises this city and the municipalities of Tupi, Tampakan and Polomolok in South Cotabato. The second district is composed of Koronadal City and the municipalities of Tantangan, Banga, T’boli, Surallah, Sto. Nino, Norala and Lake Sebu.

Under HB 6038, Fuentes said South Cotabato’s first district will be reshaped into the towns of Polomolok, Tupi, Tampakan and T’boli.

Koronadal City and the six remaining towns will compose the province’s second district, she said.

“We decided on this reconfiguration with the consideration of pushing later on for the creation of another separate district for Koronadal City,” Fuentes said.

Koronadal City, which is a component city of South Cotabato, is the province’s capital and the regional seat and center of Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region.

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

The city, which has a population of 538,086 based on the 2010 census, has long been classified as an independent and highly-urbanized locality but it has remained a part of South Cotabato’s first congressional district.

It was originally a component of the undivided Cotabato empire province until Congress approved its charter in 1968.

Based on the 2010 census, the municipalities of Tupi, Tampakan and Polomolok of South Cotabato posted a combined population of 236,370, which is short of the 250,000 population requirement for the creation of a new congressional district.

The authors carved out T’boli town, which has a population of 79,175, from the second district to complete the population requirement.

Early last year, the South Cotabato provincial board passed Resolution No. 5, which sought for the separation of General Santos City from the province’s legislative configuration and the re-apportionment of the area’s existing districts.

Vice Gov. Elmo Tolosa, co-author of the resolution, said the proposal would significantly benefit the province in terms of increased allocation from the congressional Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF and guaranteed representation at the House of Representatives for local constituents.

Tolosa said they believe that being a first class province, there’s a need for the province to have more representation in Congress to cope with its rapid growth in terms of economic and social development.

With a population of 827,200 based on the 2010 census, the province’s total population was projected to reach around 851,000 this year based on its annual average growth rate of 1.46 percent.

Comelec brings PWDs registration to GenSan barangays

By (PNA)

FFC/AVE/RSS


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 3 (PNA) – In a bid to encourage persons with disabilities (PWDs) to take part in the 2013 mid-term elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec)office here has brought the its ongoing registration down to the barangays, an official said.

But even then, at least 11 PWDs have registered from the start of the year until last week, local Comelec data showed.

Clint Vincent Dumaguit, Comelec election assistant officer II here, said they actually began bringing the Comelec registration down to the barangay level in May last year not just to serve the PWDs but the general public as well.

“Some PWDs have the tendency to be ashamed to go to our office so we come to the villages to make the registration easier for them,” he said.

On normal days in the Comelec office at the back of the old city hall building, he added that they give special priority to differently-abled persons through the “PWD lane” especially when the lines are long.

The local Comelec office also accords special accommodation to pregnant women and older persons applying to become registered voters, Dumaguit said.

Special registration for PWDs in the city started on April 2 until April 30, with intermittent off days.

The venue should have been at the first floor of the old city hall building but the city Comelec, aside from bringing it to the barangay level, hold the special registration at its office in the second floor at the back of the city hall building.

The city has 26 barangays and so far the PWDs who registered came from the six villages of Buayan, Calumpang, City Heights, Fatima, Katangawan and Labangal, Dumaguit said.

He said they went to the villages with the support of the barangay governments, although there were some who did not lend help due to scarce resources.

With the latter case, Dumaguit said they just forego that barangay unit.

But he hoped that PWDs who did not come out for the special registration would enlist themselves as the Comelec has a continuing registration until October 31, 2012.

Gov’t Aids Davao Sur Villagers

By JOSEPH JUBELAG


44 Agencies Provide Various Programs And Services To Remote Community

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Some 2,000 residents of Malita town in Davao del Sur have benefited from the convergence of programs and services conducted by the Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies (ARENA) in Region-11 and the Army’s 10th Infantry Division recently.

Some 44 national government agencies provided services to the local residents, including job fairs, medical missions, and educational campaign during the activity, said ARENA-11 president Achilles Gerard Bravo.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) offered an array of employment facilitation services for an easier and faster means of finding jobs.

The Department of Health (DOH) assisted rural health units in its distribution of medicines, information, education, and communication materials.

While the Department of Education (DEPED) conducted information and dissemination drive to the parents about its newly implemented K+12 program and distributed school supplies, while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) also launched information and dissemination campaign and skills demonstration.

“The purpose of the activity is to bring the government services directly to the people, which complemented the Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) of the 10th Infantry Division,” Bravo said.

For his part, Army spokesperson Captain William Rodriguez said, through the Peace and Development Teams (PDTs) from the 1002nd Army Brigade, that the government was able to identify the issues and concerns prevailing in the far-flung communities that need to be addressed by concerned government agencies.

As this developed, Malita Municipal Mayor Benjamin Bautista lauded the ARENA-11 for bringing the govern¬ment services to Malita.

He added that the presence of the military not only provided security but also facilitated the delivery of basic social services even in far-flung com¬munities.

Brigadier General Ariel Bernardo, 10th ID commander, said the govern¬ment has various programs for various social issues, which was exemplified through the spirit of “Bayanihan, Serbisyo Caravan” shown by the various stakeholders of peace and develop¬ment efforts in the area.

Region 12 labor groups seek more ‘substantial’ wage hike

By (PNA)

LDV/AVE/RSS


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, May 1 (PNA) – Labor groups in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region called on the national government Tuesday to move for a more substantial wage increase and scrap the regional wage board in the region.

Hundreds of private workers belonging to organized labor unions in the region issued such call as they staged protest actions here and in other key cities in the area in commemoration of the 110th International Labor Day.

Adelaida Segumpan, Kilusang Mayong Uno (KMU) spokesperson in Region 12, noted the “heaven and earth” disparity between the daily minimum wage rate and the estimated cost of living level in the area.

She said that while private sector workers get a minimum daily pay of up to P270, the daily cost of living for a family to live decently should not be less than P700.

“What the workers needed now is substantial wage increase in order for us to cope up with the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products, basic commodities and services,” Segumpan said.

She described the recently approved P10 to P14 daily wage increase in the region “as a meager amount meant to pacify workers’ wrath against the callousness of the Aquino administration.”

Ryan Lariba, spokesperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said they are pushing for the abolition of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board as it supposedly serves more the concerns of the employers and not the workers.

“The wage board [has] become the mouthpiece of big businesses,” he said.

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.

Meantime, thousands of jobseekers trooped to the three regional jobs fair organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 12.

Chona Mantilla, DOLE-12 regional director, said the three jobs fair opened smoothly and they expect that more local job seekers will be hired on-the-spot in today’s activities.

The job fairs were done simultaneously at the KCC Mall here, Southseas Mall in Cotabato City and the city gymnasium in Kidapawan City.

“We’re targeting at least 15 percent of our job seekers to be hired on-the-spot,” Mantilla said.

She added that DOLE and its attached agencies are continually working to protect the rights and welfare of private workers in the region.

14,000 jobs at stake in three Labor Day jobs fair in Region 12

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 30 (PNA) – About 14,000 local and overseas job placements will be opened to jobseekers in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region during the simultaneous Labor Day jobs fair here and in two other cities in the region on Tuesday.

Chona Mantilla, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 12 director, said Monday the three regional jobs fair are among the highlights of the agency’s celebration of the Labor Day in the area.

She said the jobs fair will be held at the KCC Mall here, South Seas Mall in Cotabato City and the city gymnasium of Kidapawan City.

On Monday, a pre-Labor Day jobs fair was also held at the Gaisano Grand Mall in Koronadal City.

“Our attached and allied agencies will also render free services, seminars and orientations to our job seekers and concerned residents,” Mantilla said.

Among the government agencies that signified to put up booths at the jobs fair venues were the Social Security System, National Bureau of Investigation, Pag-IBIG Fund and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

As of Monday, Mantilla said 114 companies and job placement agencies from the area as well as other key cities in the country have signified to join the activity.

She said they include 62 recruitment agencies that will offer 10,315 overseas placement opportunities, to both professional and skilled job seekers.

A total of 3,452 local jobs will also be opened during the three jobs fair, Mantilla said.

Dominia Milan, DOLE Sarangani-General Santos City labor officer, said the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will also hold orientations for beneficiaries of its convergence program.

She said they have initially identified 44 scholars or beneficiaries for the convergence DOLE’s Special Program for the Employment (SPES) and TESDA’s Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP).

She said 22 beneficiaries each were chosen from the municipalities of Malapatan and Alabel in Sarangani province.

Milan said they’re hoping that more job seekers from the area would be hired “on-the-spot” in Tuesday’s jobs fair.

“We’re aiming to surpass last year’s record of 200 job seekers who were hired on-the-spot by the participating companies and recruitment agencies,” she said.

Milan said they are currently assisting the initial job seekers who have registered at their office come up with some of the requirements to increase their chances of getting hired “on-the-spot” during the jobs fair.

PNP-12 initiates SWAT competition

By. Catherine T. Apelacio


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 29 (PIA) -- The Police Regional Office-12 here initiated the 1st SWAT (Special Weapon and Tactics) competition over the weekend to harness even more the skill of members in the elite unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

For the first time, PRO-12 brought together SWAT Units based in different city and the provincial police offices in the region for a unique contest.

PSSupt. Robert Kiunisala, deputy regional director for operations (DRDO), said that for the past few months, police job has become more challenging as crimes have been more complex and more sophisticated.

He said rebels have remained a major threat to peace in the region. Thus, the police, especially the SWAT forces must always be prepared all the time.

“Whenever rebels operate, we must find them where they dwell and stop them in their planning and one by one bring them to justice,” the Regional Public Information Office (RPIO) 12 quoted Kiunisala as saying.

Undertaken to suppress criminal activities, the SWAT competition, “is a programmed training aimed to enhance and refresh individual’s efficiency and unit teamwork to ensure greater survival rating during hard times.”

SWAT, as PNP’s special elite force, is touted to be the show window of the organization, being most of the time at the forefront of police operations.

Kiunisala reasoned that it is important that PRO 12 equip its personnel “with the right skills and knowledge” to make them professionals as they should be and for them to immediately respond during emergency situation or whenever necessary.

He said the mere fact that their (SWAT) knowledge and training have been honed to greater degree and given the chance to compete with the other only showed that they were “very competent and skilled” already.

Kiunisala also reminded the SWAT team that they only use firearms and weapons to protect people from harm and not to sow fear and insecurity among them.

An awarding ceremony led by Kiunisala himself capped the three-day activity with the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) 12 proclaimed as winning team followed by the Cotabato PPO, the General Santos City Police Office, fourth; Sarangani PPO, fifth; South Cotabato PPO, sixth; Sultan Kudarat PPO, seventh; and the Cotabato City Police Office, eighth. (CTA-PIA 12, General Santos City/With reports from RPIO-PRO-12)

NDRRMC: 4 children die in GenSan diarrhea outbreak

By. LBG, GMA News


At least four children died in a diarrhea outbreak that hit areas of General Santos City from March 30 to April 19, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said over the weekend.

In its report posted on its website Friday night, the NDRRMC said at least 243 people were affected, 134 of them were children aged 10 and below.

The NDRRMC identified the four fatalities as:

- Rain Jairo Cabilo Dacayo, 9 months, Brgy. Labangal, died April 10 - Angel Bernon, 2, died April 10 - Calzuma Mustapha, 8, died April 13 - Kinjie Masangkay, 3 months, died April 18

The NDRRMC also said 175 people were affected in Purok Saludin in Labangal village, 134 of them children.

At least 45 were affected in Purok Salafan in Apopong village, while another 23 were affected in Purok Mudia in Labangal village.

Samples had been taken from a pitcher pump that was the victims' source of water.

Drinking water is being treated and containers being disinfected to address the problem, the NDRRMC said.

Suspension of banana venture eyed as land row heats up in South Cotabato village

By. (PNA) LAP/AVE/AC


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 27 (PNA) – South Cotabato officials are seeking the suspension of the planned expansion of banana plantations in a farming village in Tupi town due to a worsening land conflict in the area.

South Cotabato Governor Arthur Pingoy Jr. said he is set to meet with representatives of a banana company to discuss the temporary deferment of its expansion in Barangay Koronadal Proper in Tupi until the ongoing land conflict in the area is resolved.

He initially declined to name the banana company, which is reportedly working on a contract-growing scheme for a 10-hectare plantation within the disputed area that spans around 45 hectares.

“We want the ownership of the area resolved first to avoid possible problems later on,” the governor said.

Tension gripped the village last February after a group of Moro residents intensified their claim over the lands, which they cited as part of their ancestral domain.

Alleged members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led by Nadsid Akmad alias Kumander Faisal reportedly converged in the area supposedly to assist the claims of Moro residents over the lands from local Christian settlers.

The provincial government initiated a dialogue to ease the tension in the area but the situation has remained volatile due to the pending resolution of the land dispute.

Pingoy said he directed the Provincial Environment Management Office to defer the issuance of environmental clearances to companies that were eyeing to engage in any business venture in the area to avoid complicating the situation.

“These might push the claimants to resort to violent means to gain ownership of the lands and we don’t want that to happen,” he said.

In support of the local government’s move, the governor said officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) provincial office have advised local landowners not to enter into any business contract with any entity without its endorsement.

The provincial government had asked DAR to conduct another survey of the area to resolve the ownership of the disputed lands, which were earlier distributed to 30 local farmers.

DAR had issued certificate of land titles to the farmers but Akmad’s group insisted that it was the real owner of the land.






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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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'

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

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

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.


General Santos City, Philippines Archived News

The older news reports are kept here.

Retrieved from "http://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=General_Santos_City_News&oldid=346178"