That award-winning 1992 film Scent of Woman strikes a nostalgia in me. I ask Davao del Norte Vice Governor “Baby” Suaybaguio to watch the blockbuster film again- at home.
The film is starred by actor Al Pacino (a retired irascible, blind, medically retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in the film) andChris O’Donnell (tukayo Charlie Simms,a preparatory school student who takes a job as an assistant to Al Pacino or Frank Slade).It won for Al Pacino the Academy Award for Best Actor and more cinema laurels for director Martin Bres.
I think last year or early this year the HBO and Cinemax played it again- and again(in the outfits’ shenanigans to playing with our culture of easily forgetting things, err like Ninoy’s heroism or Kris loves with Phillip Salvador and Joey Marquez- no pun intended).
There’s a lot of walking CD vendors now and pirates are coming up with well-CD recorded films in glossy and sleek covers. Ask for it, and the latest Pacquaio’s fight, and vuela- they have it.
Anyway, film-watching at home is good for the coming weekend holiday as warm-up starter before going to the cemetery to meet a riotous exploding living population paying homage to our millions of beloved dead, the global warming notwithstanding.
To set our mood for the All Saints Day (Nov 1, Saturday) and All Souls Day (Nov. 2, Sunday), choose the film genres that are good for the soul- the classic, romantic, that which dramatically slow-moving but emotion-captivating with surprise denouement. Not the comedy, action, Jacky Chan, brutal, horror films please.
I mean the Scents of the Woman is primarily classic but comic. It intrigues the heart in seeing a cantankerous middle-aged man who is now blind, alcoholic and impossible to get along with (Al Pacino) having a time in New York with the aid of youthful assistant Charlie Simms, just to take a room at the posh hotel, eat at an expensive restaurant, to wish to sleep with a beautiful woman, and then commit suicide. Later, the blind Colonel tangoes with a girl whose perfume captivates him (hence the title of the movie).
To cut the movie short, Slade’s suicide does not materialize as he is prevailed upon by Simms.The rest is history.- they become close friends and shortly Slade cause for the exoneration of Simms from the allegation that he plays the prank on school headmaster. End for now.
Flashback: I saw the vice governor two decades ago so smart in jeans when he was still the city mayor. That time his nephew Konsehal Nickel must have been still in shorts. I saw in the latter a déjà vu on VG Baby. But being older but still smarter, VG Baby could take the Al Pacino’s role, while being young and neophyte, Kons. Nickel could take Chris O’Donnell’s.
Not that the VG portrays in real life Slade’s film character. He’s already south in age now after serving the city and province in length, with interregnums after electoral defeats.And huwah! (Slade’s stereotyped shout in the movie which I like to hear), the VG has returned fragrantly ensconced in his current public seat- for that scent of a kingmaker.
Forget that blink when he was reminded by movant BM Larry Caminero there was still that third and final reading to finally junk the Purok Ordinance two weeks ago. VG Baby might have just an afterthought what’s in store for the Urban Poor Ordinance of his young nephew Nickel that was yet forthcoming to land in his august hall.
As to Kons. Nickel, he may play a prank of his Urban Poor Ordinance, knowing that as his uncle’s earlier plan of running for the Congress was political suicide, hence the VG’s silence now, the new measure that has recently reached at the Davnor SP seems to be also one that would have him kissed his young political career goodbye. Or this scent of 2010 is just subject for a director’s cut? Oh baby, for that Scent of a Woman. (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, for comments, reactions, e-mail: ruralurbanews@yahoo.com, or ruralurbanews@yahoo.com)
Ban on firearms, liquor, sound system to be enforced
Davao del Norte provincial police director PSSupt. Benelito Bianzon bared yesterday that he has already directed all his police chiefs and stations to secure all cemeteries and memorial parks across the province for the All Saints Day and All Souls Day celebration this coming weekend.
He said that, under the police-coordinated Oplan Kaluluwa, police elements with civilian force multipliers will be deployed in every cemetery to put up close security and public assistance centers.
He added that the police will coordinate with each local government unit in the province on the properly designated parking areas, stalls, entrances and exit ways.
He reminded cemetery goers on the ban to carry firearms and other deadly weapons, liquors and sound systems inside the cemeteries that the police would enforce to make our All Saints Day and All Souls Day solemn and peaceful.
The police will be in full alert starting Saturday. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Tagum City bankers interviewed by the press yesterday said they “could not yet sense or feel” that the effects of the global financial crisis that is affecting intensely the United States are already reaching the city.
A branch manager of a nationwide bank, who requested anonymity, said that at present his bank has not yet experienced decrease in their accounts on foreign remittances and foreign currency deposits.
He said that his bank has largely the same trend on their foreign accounts since the recent months when the global financial crisis hit the headlines, even if they are catering only a “not so significant volume of dollar remittances” from the United States.
“Still we are experiencing the same trend,” he said.
He said though that when the news on the global financial meltdown have been nagging the headlines recently, several depositors in Tagum City had made phone calls to his bank to inquire and verify.
But he said that even the few banks in Manila that have been reported to have investment exposures to collapsed banks and financial companies in the US can only be likened to have been “wounded” adding that the affected banks are not bound for closure considering the provision on retaining cash liquidity.
On the other hand, LandBank-Tagum assistant manager Eunice Sumatra in an interview with Sidlak said that “they are business as usual”.
She added that the Landbank is unperturbed by the global financial crisis knowing that they financially cater to government offices and government workers.
“Dili pa gyud ma-feel nang international financial crisis namo,” she said.
An internal corporate circular obtained by Sidlak from another local bank official who also refused to be named, advises local clients not to panic, saying that Philippine banks remain strong, their exposure to the credit crisis is minimal and small, relative to their or entire Philippine banking system capital base”.
It also said that the country “has lessened dependence on the US economy on account of its strong consumer-led economy and the increasing prominence of other countries and regions that it trades with- such as China, India, Japan, Europe and other ASEAN countries.”
“The Philippines also can count on the continued strong inflows of remittances from its OFWs (projected to top last year’s $18 billion), most of whom are in oil-rich Middle East nations whose economies remain buoyant due to high oil prices,” the internal corporate circular said. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
NABUNTURAN- The minority councilors opposing the controversial P90-million bond flotation of the municipal government managed yesterday in their session for the backtracking of the steps the majority councilors by putting anew for questioning the project and its feasibility study and particulars with the participation of the municipal accountant.
Opposing Councilors Alfonso “Jun” Tabas and Raul Caballero got their motion approved to call in municipal accountant Gilda Savellano in their next session by Monday to give her opinion on the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the P90-million municipal bond float that would fund for the construction of a new public market building.
Savellano, a member of the Local Finance Committee, accordingly has preferred a loan option and not the bond flotation which in the earlier LFC recommendation tagged as more costly and has uncertain terms that could potentially run havoc to government yearly budgeting.
Surprisingly, pro-bond float councilor Eddie Minoza, LFC chairman, suddenly moved for the deferment of the discussion of the TOR.
But Councilor Tabas was quick to call for a new public hearing on the TOR, that for the recent three sessions including yesterday has been sought for approval by the majority.
The consensus of six present deliberating councilors was reached to put it on public hearing although the presiding officer Councilor Iluminada Cabuga was insistent to put the TOR on “thorough discussion”.
Vice Mayor Romeo Clarin was not presiding as he reportedly graced an affair at the municipal gym for being the town’s OIC Mayor.
Mayor Macario Humol was accordingly out of town.
Also present in yesterday’s session were pro-bond float Councilors Vivencia Secuya and Cheryl Asion, and also opposing Councilor Editha Arangcon.
The town’s oppositionists have charged the P90-million as exorbitant, extravagant and grossly disadvantageous to the government as spelled out in their running people’s initiative petition to repeal the ordinance approving the project.
Last week, the sanggunian majority denied the petition filed last Sept. 25 but petitioners bounced back by girding to prepare at press time to lodge the petition in higher phase at the Comelec level which they hope could finally result to a people’s referendum to decide the fate of the controversial project. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews/blogspot.com
Legislation seeks to defer approvalof urban poor housing for 5 years
oct 28
TAGUM CITY - Two weeks after the controversial Purok Ordinance of the City Hall was unanimously junked by Davao del Norte Sangguniang Panlalawigan, another city ordinance considered by several quarters here as ”contentious” and critics as “anti-urban poor” reached yesterday at the provincial board in its 48th regular session.
Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio immediately referred City Council Ordinance No. 320 to the SP committee on human settlements, planning and development chaired by Boardmember Roger Israel as the lead committee and to the committee on laws, resolutions, ordinance and justice chaired by Boardmember Artemio San Juan.
Dubbed by critics as “Anti-Urban Poor Ordinance”, the new legislation reaching the provincial board, which recently smarted from its act of finally junking the controversial Purok Ordinance, is seeking to defer for a period of five years the issuance of accreditation and approval of permits and other requirements by the City Hall for urban poor subdivision housing projects.
It appeared to have been passed at the city council without much fuss, and suddenly it reached at the SP secretariat last October 22.
It was authored and pushed by Councilor Nicandro “Nickel” Suaybaguio as initiated by the city executive department. He is a nephew of the presiding vice governor.
But the young Suaybaguio, in a phone interview yesterday, said that the city council had passed it in two sessions, the first one of which was followed by a public hearing attended by representatives of shelter agencies and the affected sectors.
He said that his measure was approved by the city council last September 22 and that for a month it was at the city council secretariat which had worked on its long minutes and proceedings.
Yesterday, urban poor leader Gregorio “Loloy” Ibanez said in text message that Suaybaguio’s ordinance “is anti-urban poor for being contrary to the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) and executive order of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government and to the policy of the Presidential Commission of the Urban Poor (PCUP)”.
He vowed that he himself will make a petition to oppose it at the SP level.
Ibanez is the executive director of the Davao del Norte Urban Poor Foundation, Inc. He is also the president of the Davao del Norte Press. Radio and TV Club.
Earlier, in one report of a weekly paper, District 1 Congressman Arrel Olano branded as “anti poor” the ordinance that would evidently stop him from carrying out land acquisition projects for the urban poor which he has been funding out from a congressional fund.
Sidlak clarified also with Vice Mayor Allan Rellon an earlier report that the urban poor ordinance would have still to be fully sponsored by Suaybaguio saying that he was confused on the question posed to him by the media adding that it mixed up with the preoccupation of the city council of also formulating a revised comprehensive ordinance on the city’s land use.
Earlier also, Vice Gov. Suaybaguio said he would not inhibit from the deliberations on the ordinance authored and pushed by his nephew, adding that the rule of the majority would prevail He presided when the Purok Ordinance was unanimously junked by his boardmembers.
The urban poor ordinance has invoked the ground that that urban poor subdivisions and informal settlements in the city are not livable due to inadequacies of basic community facilities and services such as road, water, electricity and have low occupancy rate.
The young Suaybaguio earlier said that the deferment could be “automatically lifted” if a high occupancy rate of existing urban poor housing projects could be attained.
He also said that several existing urban housing projects whose requirements are on process are included in the exemption clause of the ordinance.
But critics also charged that the ordinance is “a class legislation” saying that it favored the rich subdivision developers and would stop informal housing for the poor in the city like the Habitat and the Gawad Kalinga projects initiated by the religious.
They said that the urban poor housing projects instead contributed to solve the city’s acute housing backlog of at least 28,000 families per projection of the City Comprehensive and Development Plan (2001-2010). (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Row on NDC nursing graduates, City Council snubbed again
oct 28
Davao del Norte Boardmember Gregorio Facula registered his objection in yesterday’s session of the provincial board to the measure that would open the province-run hospitals for the medical training of the nursing students of the controversy-wracked North Davao College (NDC)- Tagum Foundation, Inc.
He said he was opposing the resolution approving the contract of affiliation between the NDC-Tagum and the provincial government pending the resolution of therow between the nursing graduates and their parents and the NDC at Apokon, Tagum City.
Nursing graduates and their parents have been up in arms recently against the NDC school administration for allegedly requiring graduates to take first a P10,000-worth nursing review and mock board examination at the school before their credentials would be issued to them.
The city council had invited NDC’s officials to shed light on the issue during question hour in its last week’s session with the complainants but the NDC officials did not attend.
Yesterday, the city council and complainants were reportedly snubbed again of their invitation by the NDC officials, who accordingly are out of town or in Manila since last week.
Hearing of NDC’s second snub over DXDN live coverage on the city council’s sessionin the morning yesterday, Boardmember Facula dared colleagues saying that “there are matters we need to clarify on how (NDC officials) handle our constituents” before acting on the measure on NDC’s asking a favor from the provincial government.
“Pending that, I’m registering my objection for now,” Facula added.
Ten of his colleagues though still approved the measure. Committee on laws chairman Boardmember Artemio San Juan sponsored the measure. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Snagging only with a little hitch raised by a questioning boardmember from Panabo, the P20-million general appropriation supplemental budget (SB) number 4 ordinance that contains a budget’s bulk for the Provincial Governor’s Office (PGO) was approved yesterday afternoon.
The SB No. 4 amounting to P22,404,836 was approved by present 11 members with Vice Gov. Victorio Suaybaguio Jr presiding the session following two queries posed by Boardmember Ely Dacalus on the expenditure object of over P8,000 and the “discrepancy” of a PGO budget amounting to over P4 million.
The budgetary measure was just received by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan yesterday with the Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario treating it as “urgent”.
Provincial Budget Officer Norma Lumain, who was asked to be present during the session, informed that the P8,389 expenditure object represented the five percent calamity fund taken from the province’s share of national wealth.
On the other hand, she said that while the PGO has a budget of P14,723,127 in summary by department, for the current year the governor’s office has a budget of P10,073,027, and the over P4.6 million “discrepancy” is stated under the 20-percent development fund.
Having known that, Dacalus, who said earlier “I’m a little bit confused”, said he was already enlightened.
Asked on why the measure was deemed urgent when transmitted, Lumain said that “there are items waiting to be paid, almost all items here”.
“The programs and projects have already started and to be completed” and “appropriations of department offices are already exhausted, so we have to act now,” she added.
A copy of the approved SP Appropriation Ordinance No. 2008-204 for the SB No. 4 is still to be obtained by the press at press time. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
COMPOSTELA VALLEY- Some 300 evacuees from faraway highland barangay of Manurigao in New Bataan started returning home by 3:00 yesterday afternoon since Sunday’s start of skirmishes between government troopers and communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.
Municipal information officer Marvin Ilajas said in text message that the evacuees who sought temporary refuge at the municipal gym have been returning home after the municipal disaster coordinating council in town declared the Manurigao area as already safe for the evacuees to return.
The evacuees since Monday trickled in to the town poblacion after eight government soldiers were killed in an ambush staged by the NPA rebels.
Ilajas said that during the evacuees’ temporary stay at the municipal gym Mayor Lorenzo Balbin Sr had to shell out funds from their limited resources for the rice, canned goods and other foodstuffs for the large number of evacuees.
He added that the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development, Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora and Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy had also chipped in provisions for the evacuees.
The military said Monday that the slain soldiers were on a humanitarian mission in the town when ambushed by the NPA rebels.
In emailed statements to the media, Rigoberto Sanchez, a regional spokesman for the New People’s Army (NPA), claimed that the ambushed soldiers were on a military operation and part of a bigger group deployed to track down NPA rebels in the province.
On Monday, NPA rebels launched separate attack to government soldiers in Monkayo resulting to the wouding of trooper Cpl. Robert Cabadocia of 66th Infantry Battalion.
The separate military report said the soldiers were bringing the body of a dead comrade to Sarangani province who died in Friday’s land mine attack when harassed by undetermined number of NPA rebels communists in Olaycon area in Monkayo.
Cpl. Cabadocia was the driver of the vehicle the soldiers were riding when they were ambushed by the NPAs, a military field report said.
The other soldiers on board the truck fired back, triggering a brief firefight with the rebels. However, there were no reports of rebel casualties during the brief gunbattle as the rebels immediately run away to nearby mountain.
Also on Sunday, undetermined number of communist rebels attacked a patrol base of the Army’s Special Forces Battalion in the village of Canidkid in neighboring Montevista town. The defending troops managed to foil the attack, a military field report said.
Col. Alan R. Luga, commanding officer of the Army’s 1003rd Infantry Brigade, is currently leading the big ground operation in “specified targets” of communist lairs in the province, said EastMincom spokesman Maj. Randolf Cabangbang on Monday.(Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News with reports from PNA)
Journalism, someone said, “is history in a hurry”. The news that comes out now becomes accumulating details for summarizing history in the future. And so, at the hands of a journalist lies constantly developing stories, sans those news stories of one-shot, short shelf life. But whatever, such news might be later be a relevant part one day in history.
For this, especially in print daily, a journalist is faced everyday of beating the deadline. Always he sends his story immediately after it unfolds to his outlet on or before the deadline set by the editor as there are still series of works to do involving machines, working men and newsboys before the news gets to the hands of the readers the early morning after. Sidlak is one of these.
At the age of the Internet, there are now news outfits in the country that updates its news from time to time in a day in their websites. Just visit the good online sites of GMA TV, the Inquirer, or Philippine Star. Traditional media converging with net and cellphone technologies is today’s challenge in the country.Innovative print media or journalists in the provinces wanting to share their news and information to the world, outside the localities where their papers are in circulation, have now the free blogs to seize on. I’m doing this since June although in two days delayed to give exclusivity and justice to Sidlak which funds for my newsgathering.
Now thanks again to the web’s e-mail feature. Now, at least I have a lot or Internet cafes anywhere, in Tagum, in most of Comval towns, wherever I cover, to choose from to send my news stories since I have no laptop and purse to seize on the free WIFI like at Miko’s Brew, where coffee latte is not–of course- free. Sidlak has email address intentionally flashed daily right at its front page so readers and sources could send contributions, comments, reactions or sides from any party, aggrieved or not. This is the latest technology, and by e-mail’s speed in delivering messages in seconds, let’s avail it.
In freer Manila, journalists are better off. Besides the higher remuneration and abundant centers of news of journalists of the Big Club that come with the Imperial Manila as the center of everything and the national market and audience, most important is that they are situated in a freer milieu , in liberated zones where news sources aren’t afraid to be identified as news sources and often they are properly attributed in the news. In the provinces, there is a gulf of difference as often sources of news, which is “sensitive”, or that which may step on someone’s toes, have the tendency to beg not to be named or to speak only on the condition of anonymity to the Small Club journalists.
This is compounded by the tendency of public officials in the provinces to be mum, to tombstone or not to reply to media issues about them or reply to gut issues head on. The worst is they become onion-skinned. If this situation would have its way, then we’re left to have no public interest news at all, and PIA apologists would be happy churning out their always positive devcom news for the government. Press Sec. Jess Dureza should better be apprised on these difficulties than telling all and sundry, brimming last week on the caveat about “efforts of the press to get the side of Mr. So and So proved futile”. It’s easily said than done in countrysides newspapering- except perhaps to Cong. Anton Lagdameo, who is a stand out among the big Davnor and Comval politicians for always texting us his replies, even long, when we did ask for his statement on burning issues of the day. So he got for several times front-page treatment on the next day.
There are cases that since the information given by the source who spoke on anonymity is one issue of public interest, especially about one who occupies a public position (not private citizen), so the news of the source comes out on the news values of immediacy and public interest, with us relying that the subject who cannot be immediately reached at a time near to the deadline can have all his reply on the next day or next immediate days.
It wasn’t Friday (daily Sidlak has no issues on Saturdays and Sundays), but Monday last week when we did run the story about AGR’s alleged frequent stay in Manila. On the next day, his reply “Not true” did see another banner headline to give fairness to him, in equal space and prominence. I made sure I could interview him at Tahanan on the day Press Sec. Dureza came as the guest of NPC-Davnor-Comval Chapter oath-taking and opening of the provincial media center. Moreover, the story was proactive to him as it was about a source supportive to him and to his congressional bid wanting for his visibility for sure winning by 2010.
Had it been published Friday (which we would not allow), it could have been unfair, kay we know bahaw na ang AGR reply by Monday. No malice about that, sir. As we seek solace on the right of journalists to protect their sources, we also are holding sacrosanct the right to reply of subject parties in the news as we did in our Tuesday’s issue. But unfortunately, the Provincial Legal Officer Jennifer Namoc for asking for Sidlak’s fairness and objectivity in her letter that reached Sidlak office by Wednesday obviously failed to read AGR’s reply in our banner story on Tuesday or get hold of the issue. She could have sent her protest via the email and not via the snail mail, so we could immediately publish it the next day. But maybe the good lawyer was not just apprised on our Tuesday’s issue by the politically nosey provincial administrator Rufo Peligro, who is also the ed in chief of Executive Report, PGO’s weekly news bulletin, or by his many info men. Otherwise, we’ll say it’s not our duty to always give you free complimentary copies of Sidlak. A newspaper is sold, not given.
BLOGBUZZ: Heard about that when it comes to the Davnor Capitol, the local media is being looked upon with divisive stare, either you’re a suspect to be with the Panabo-based weekly publisher who is a long-time biased drum-beater for the Floirendos, or with the docile ones (di makabasag pinggan), the kongko (always soliciting) media of dubious circulation or outlets. Sidlak is neither either-or of whom… Oh my gulay! that usual and bankrupt media parameter- that you need a big ad sponsor in order to survive. Of course, we need ads to have cash, but we’re banking more on our burgeoning subscribers’ and readership base in order to survive…. We print replies as we really need them to be fair and objective. Again, we’re just striving to be your little real press. (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, for comments and reactions, e-mail: ruralurbanews@yahoo.com, or chamonforte@yahoo.com)
Internet cafes are given until December to dismantle their long, unauthorized semi-closed cubicles that authorities considered as one of the physical reasons that led to improper use of the Internet, said a report of a local Visayan paper last Friday.
But Vice Mayor Allan Rellon said in text message yesterday that while the Internet Café Advisory Board (ICAB) in its recent meeting agreed to still make the dismantling of the cubicles optional for now ICAB is enforcing to establishments wanting to put cubicles for privacy purposes to comply with the regulated height of up to four feet or face sanctions as provided by the city ordinance regulating operations of internet cafes. .
In earlier report, Councilor Joey Millan said that cubicles that are intended to protect privacy in communication have not actually led to increase of internet users that benefit internet cafes.
Reports said earlier that long cubicles have been used as a cover of the youths like high schoolers to surf pornographic sites in the web or malicious chatters to show their private parts on webcams to the ones they are chatting with.
The same report said that the victim UM Tagum student who was secretly camcorded resulting to the spread of what was dubbed as UM Tagum sex scandal video has already filed a case against suspects after NBI Tagum agents raided Oct. 15 the Aroma Internet and Computer located in Suarez Building along Sobrecarey Street.
The raided establishment is owned by Edgardo Silagan, president of the Internet Café Association of Tagum City (ICAT). His branch along Mabini St. has been closed for about two weeks.
The raiding team led by Head Agent Lorenzo Tan seized 23 computer units including webcams and other peripherals which were sent to Manila for the NBI computer experts to track on “cookies” that could leave imprints on the recording of the UM Tagum sex scandal video that shocked the city two months ago.
In an earlier interview at the height of the stunning news on Tagum sex scandal video, Silagan said that owners of internet cafes are usually entrepreneurs who did not know about technicalities of computer programs but he also admitted that there are some owners who know about it.
In that interview, he also expressed apprehension over what legal repercussions internet café owners would be culpable of if one of their attendants did something wrong without their knowing.
NBI agent Tan said that the suspected internet café will be facing a case for alleged violations to Republic Act 9208 otherwise known as Anti-Trafficking Law. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon said yesterday that the City Council as a whole has not yet acted upon the proposed executive-initiated ordinance putting as flexible the motorcycle fare based on the current prices of gasoline.
“We are still waiting for it,” he said in an interview at Tahanan ng Punong Lalawigan, the official residence of the governor inside the Capitol complex at Mankilam, Tagum City where guests, mediamen and provincial officials with Press Secretary Jesus Dureza took their lunch after the holding of local National Press Club activities yesterday.
Last October 8 the new measure passed the first reading and was referred to the committees of laws and of public facilities.
On the other hand, as to what is dubbed as urban poor ordinance, he said that its proponent Councilor Nicandro “Nickel” Suaybaguio has still to fully introduce the measure.
Observers earlier said that Suaybaguio’s measure may yet draw another controversy as it plans to suspend for five years the issuance of approval of permits and requirements to urban poor housing.
Last week, the city’s purok ordinance on motion for reconsideration was junked anew by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for being “legally infirmed”.
Under the proposed ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Imposing the Regulation of Fare Rates of Motorized Tricycles for Hire (MTH) of the City of Tagum” fare rates would vary based on the set schedule.
If gasoline prices per liter (gpl) range P20 to 29.99 it will have P6 for regular fare and P4 for student or senior citizen; P30 to P39.99 gpl- P7 regular fare, P5 student/senior citizen; P40 to 49.99 gpl- P8 regular fare, P6 student/senior citizen; P50 to P59.99 gpl- P9 regular fare, P7 student/senior citizen; P60 to P69.99 gpl- P10 regular fare, P8 student/senior citizen; P70 to P79.99 gpl- P11 regular fare, P9 student/senior citizen; P80 to P89.99 gpl- P12 regular fare, P10 student/senior citizen; P90 to P99.99 gpl- P13 regular fare, P11 student/senior citizen; and P100 and above gpl- P14 regular fare, P12 student/senior citizen.
The fare rates are good for the first three kilometers of the Central District from where the passenger originated, and would have an additional of P1 for every kilometer or every fraction thereof. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Former Vice Gov. and current executive assistant Anthony G. del Rosario (AGR) yesterday vehemently belied the report that he has been staying always in Manila sub-office of the provincial government of Davao del Norte, saying that it was “not true”.
In an interview, he said that on the contrary he is preoccupied with his work as a provincial sports coordinator and to the sports activities launched by the provincial government.
Del Rosario talked to the local press Monday after the lunch following the opening rite for the Capitol’s media center building and the oathtaking of the officers of the National Press Club- Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley Chapter guested by Press Secretary Jesus Dureza.
He added that his preoccupied field activities might be the reason why other people have not seen him at the Capitol.
He said that he had never visited in fact the Capitol’s sub-office at Regus Business Center located at Taguig City, Metro Manila.
Earlier report said that as sources were supportive to the earlier declaration of the former vice governor to run for the District 1 congressional post that would be vacated by last-termer Cong. Arrel Olano by 2010 they wanted the young Del Rosario to be visible in the province.
Meantime, in a phone patch radio interview with Radyo Ukay- Davao City blocktimers Ben Wang and Manny Pajarito, Del Rosario said that it was still “too early” to talk about politics and that he would still wait for the “plan” of his fellow members of the Lakas-CMD in Davao del Norte on who would be the party man for the congressional post in the District, an apparently dissimilar stance he gave during the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo about a month ago when he declared his bid for the post.
He said he would abide and follow the decision of the Lakas-CMD in the province although he cited that “there are sectors” which have been reportedly endorsing him to take a crack for Olano’s post by 2010.
The provincial government forged a contract last April following approval of the provincial board with Regus Business Center where the provincial sub-office will hold office “to facilitate all official transactions of the provincial government in the National Capital Region (NCR)”.
Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario contracted with Ms. Cristina Davila, the general manager of Regus Business Center. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
The kabir chicken that former Compostela Valley Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero had then been massively reproducing and dispersing in droves of thousands to the farmers in the province is political animal no more under the administration of Gov. Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy.
In an interview, provincial agriculturist Dr. Rolando Simene said that the provincial government is no longer dispersing kabir but only maintaining about 400 kabirs at the Lamdag center for breeding with the local bisaya and other chicken breeds for experimentation.
He said that Uy remained committed to develop further the sprawling 97-hectare Lamdag agri-eco-tourism center of the provincial government at Pasian, Monkayo.
He added that the governor is actively pursuing to develop more the fresh milk production from the buffalo stock at the agricultural center in view of the melamine scare in the country.
In early 2000s Caballero started the development of the Lamdag center which was then lying as idle, neglected provincial farm barn since when the province was not yet separated from Davao del Norte.
There was one time that the former governor was named by the monicker “Cabirero” by his oppositionists including the present governor, who was then serving as the senior boardmember during Caballero’s third term.
Uy before becoming a boardmember ran but was defeated by the recent birthday celebrator last Saturday, provincial elder Prospero Amatong during the 1999 toss up for the district 1 congressional post. They had only a margin of over 1,000 votes in the election where Uy was then allied with Caballero.
Earlier reports said that Caballero would be running for a “comeback either-or”, meaning either as congressman in District 1 where he was defeated by Cong. Rommel “Bobong” Amatong in the last polls, or as governor.
This developed as reports also said that District 1 Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora is also entertaining to run as governor in the province, besides eyeing to run as mayor in Compostela town.
If Joecab’s comeback is realized, he would no longer have thousands of kabirs in his hand. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
For not replying to request of town dad for a year
oct 20
NABUNTURAN- A local official of the Department of Interior and Local Government here assigned at the municipal hall is facing a resolution in the Sangguniang Bayan declaring him as as persona non grata for not responding to several requests of a councilor for over a year now until at press time.
Councilor Raul Caballero filed last week a resolution declaring municipal local government operations officer of Nabunturan Evan Pascua such for alleged conduct unbecoming as a government officer pursuant to Republic Act No. 6713, otherwise known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
The resolution is already at that hands of Vice Mayor Romeo Clarin and is expected to be calendared in tomorrow’s SB session.
Caballero charged that on Sept 3, 2007 he requested Pascua for an opinion relevant to the procedure in rendering a committee report but it was not responded.
The councilor questioned as “erroneous” the particular procedure of the Sangguniang Bayan of discussing and approving any committee report without first adopting it.
The practice has been running as a wayward procedure compared to other local sanggunians for 15 years, leaving always having no items in the unassigned business of the day, sources said.
On October 1, 2007 Caballero made a follow up letter reiterating the same. Still Pascua did not reply.
On September 25 this year Caballero sent another letter on the same matter to DILG provincial director Abito Bernasor but his office refused to receive it and instead it was referred to the municipal mayor’s office for the same to be received.
Caballero’s resolution stated that it was more than a year that Pascua “is adamant to answer the request” in alleged violation to the 15-day period provision of RA 6713 for all government officials and employees to act promptly on letters and requests from the public.
“The actuations shown by (Pascua) constituted disrespect and conduct unbecoming of government officer not only to the requisitioning official but to the entire people of Nabunturan,” portion of the letter stated.
Efforts to reach Pascua for comments proved futile. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Prices of computer nowadays are dropping. It’s different before, 5 or 10 years ago, when acquiring a computer was considered a rare luxury. Appliance stores in Davao City and Tagum City then made so much a killing for profit by selling slow-speed computers at so expensive price through installments.
Now you can buy a computer set at P5,000. It’s a surplus though but it works for the novice and practicing, kids and youths who are not addicted to top speed RAN online game and its ilk, say it’s only for encoding, web research and small games (not the one the needs 1 gigahertz of processor and 1 gigabytes of memory, that’s so fast at these specs).
With the fast rate of computer innovations and production of new brands and products at much improved performance and more features, as well as the stiff competition of computer makers while chip and parts makers are vast for computer assembly industry, computer imports are ever coming to the country inevitably decreasing computer prices. It’s like the cellphones.
Try online search in Davao City stores, the usual source of supplier in Davao del Norte and Comval local government units for the product and you’ll see good, fast brand new laptops having a capacity of 1 GHz processor and 1 GB of memory, which are so fitted to for the city councilors and vice mayor eyeing to have “paperless legislation” next year priced lower. Say an HP Compaq Presario or Acer, both with 512 RAM, priced at P35,000. That’s fair and modest budget, although one could now buy a fairly fast WIFI (wireless) capable laptop at P25,000 nowadays.
But we’ll stick to P35,000-worth laptop that’s already so good for our city councilors. At this budget multiplied by the number of Tagum City councilors plus the vice mayor and the secretariat or 14, and add P200,000 for the two servers, peripherals and for the licenses of operating systems so the greedy software business alliance cohorts of Bill Gates will not run after the City Hall, and what we have as modest and practical budget for Tagum SP “paperless legislation” is a little over the half of the planned P1.5 million budget as proposed by Councilor Rey Salve. That’s too high a budget Kons.
An P800,000 budget is already so good and cool budget to our estimate. There’s actually no training seminar in other venues needed there. What is important is that the city IT department first set up the networking cables, and conduct hands-on training, dry run for the city councilors right at SP hall after the goods arrived. And that’s it. Meantime, Councilor Inting Eliot could have all the time learning the sophistication of his laptop at home with an apo at his side. There’s actually no so much fuss and grand in implementing a “paperless legislation”. And the balance of P700,000 that is squeezed out could as well be infused to the La Filipina public cemetery for our beloved deads to be happy. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Davao del Norte provincial and city officials faced baffling scenarios from Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero when he personally visited them yesterday at the Capitol, Mankilam, Tagum City.
Senator Escudero was the guest speaker for the Philippine Judges Association in the evening in Davao Davao City but he made first a side trip in Tagum City to personally visit and consult politician friends.
He made baffling riddles about the real opposition in the county citing the flip-flopping record of several wannabes for the top post in the country. He named potential presidential bets as Senate President Manny Villar, Mar Roxas, Panfilo Lacson, and even former President Joseph Estrada.
“Sino ba talaga ang tunay na oposisyon?”asked Sen. Escudero. He just recalled past records of presidential wannabes flip-flopping in their past dealings with the Macapagal administration. Present in friendly roundtable exchange of friendly talk at Tahanan building at the provincial Capitol complex in Mankilam were Davao del Norte Rodolfo del Rosario, Vice Gov. Victorio Suaybaguio, Tagum City Mayor Rey Chiong Uy, District 1 Cong. Arrel Olano and others. They were cheerfully dumbfounded of Escudero’s presentation on past record of flip-flops of the said presidential wannabes. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Davao del Norte District 1 Congressman Arrel Olano appears to be wanting to talk with the local media in fair weather.
He said that he did not want intriguing questions posed to him by the local media that would lead him to say words that would threaten to break the Lakas unity in the province.
Asked yesterday on whether he would make true his earlier statement of running for city mayor or for governor as among his options, he appeared evasive saying that he should not be intrigued with questions that would break the Lakas party in the province since City Mayor Rey Uy and Governor Rodolfo del Rosario as well as him belong to the same party.
He did not also give comment on the Purok Ordinance that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. junked last Monday.
But asked in an ambush interview about his congressional bill about puroks pending at the Congress, he said that it is still a pending measure. Asked further on what it is all about, he he cut short, saying: “it is not comfortable for us to talk about it here” in obvious irritation to the posed question as a streak of sunlight hit the place of interview. After snapping that, he then immediately sped away riding on his government issued car with plate no. 8. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Congressman Arrel Olano of Davao del Norte’s 1st District might have already chickened out from taking another political career path gauging his latest tough talk with the local media. I got him right after Senator Chiz Escudero ended his friendly banter last Friday at Mankilam’s Tahanan with Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, Tagum City Mayor Rey Chiong Uy, him- Olano, Vice Mayor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio and several other officials.
The info man of Sen. Chiz told me while covering their table talk that the good opposition senator was on a side trip in the province just to meet with provincial officials who are his friends and possibly know problems and suggestions from his constituents in this part of the country. (He was the guest speaker of the Philippine Judges Association conference in Davao City in the evening) . Naturally, being an elected senator of the Republic the governor, city mayor and Cong.Olano had to meet and accommodate Sen, Chiz regardless that he is one great oppositionist. Maybe Cong. Anton of the 2nd District was not home yet last Friday, that is if the hatchet has already been buried between RDR and the Floirendos. Had that been the case, the Lakas-Kampi family in the province would have been complete in meeting the youthful Chiz, a presidential timber.
Sino ba kaya sa kanila ang tunay na oposisyon? Si Manny Villar? Si Mar Roxas? Si Ping Lacson? Si Erap? Sen. Chiz threw a puzzle to his listening pack of provincial and city officials. Each one of today’s presidential timbers, sans him and Sen. Loren, were unmasked of their flip-flopping records in terms of legislations pursued and positions to Pres. GMA’s policies and actuations. Sen. Chiz would seem to say that all of these presidential wannabes in the opposition picked up both carrots and sticks in dealing with GMA, and hence imply that all of them were not true-blue oppositionists. I wouldn’t enumerate here such flop-flops for lack of space.
They were all listening perhaps dumbfounded to the usual razzle-dazzle of Tagalog enunciation of the senator on the matter except quite visibly Cong. Olano who was so busy in his cellphone- texting. Had it not been a friendly banter, he could have been called as out of protocol before a talking senator. Maybe those were urgent messages. I wouldn’t imply that the congressman wasn’t interested to the topic of Sen. Chiz. He has nowhere to go except the opposition.
If Cong. Olano meant it true, during an ambush interview made by some local mediamen, that he didn’t want to be intrigued by the question posed of whether his earlier plan of running for city mayor or governor and others when the present reelectionists are all his partymates, then he is indeed nowhere to go. He said that “the mayor is with Lakas, the governor is with Lakas and I am with Lakas” “Don’t intrigued me with that question,” Olano threw a pique on us.
If we voluntarily take a ride over Gov. RDR’s hint that there seems to be no Floirendo running against him for his reelection, then all’s well is bound to end well with Lakas in Davnor. With the principle of the equity of incumbent, Olano couldn’t be the administration’s standard–bearer for mayorship, governorship, and even to vice governorship and vice mayorship that rightly belong to reelectionist Suaybaguio andAllan Rellon, respectively.He has no incumbent son or daughter to bargain for the open post that he’s finishing to serve, unlike Comval District 1 Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora, who has his daughter Boardmember Maricar Zamora-Apsay long gunning for the post in stiff competition with Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya (don’t disturb, just married).
But sadly, what remains to Olano for an easy admin crack is a lowly boardmember’s seat, for remaining up to this day to be porkless unlike their Comval counterparts. Such is a real contrast to a congressman’s position that has lots of pork barrel funds that a white paper of Speaker Nograles wanted so much to be demystified of its negative and irregular connotations. But he has lots of top posts for a picking at his pleasure and luxury. Only that he’ll have to jump ship to the opposition where Sen. Chiz truly belongs.
BLOGBUZZ: I felt the academe’s free spirit again. That was last Tuesday when I gave journalism crash course for the UMTC English Guild. Thanks for the invitation to the Rural Urban News, my outfit, for Felimonne Em-em Monteros, the guild’s prexy, Ma’am Armela Gertos, the amiable adviser…. Kodus to NBI Tagum for pinpointing the establishment where the known UM Tagum sex scandal occurred- the Aroma Café and Computer along Sobrecarey St.. Ironically, the suspect establishment is owned by Edgardo Silagan, the president of ICAT- Internet Café Association of Tagum City. The NBI agents armed with warrant seized Thursday 23 computer units from the alleged culprit establishment. Now justice for Baby and her family is near. (Tomorrow: Olano’s fret on purok. For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, email: chamonforte@yahoo.com)
The grandest wedding in Compostela Valley for Vice Governor Ramil Gentugaya and Joanna Aileen Ang this Saturday will usher a toast for cheers by among known who’s whos in Davao politics, pairs among whom would soonest be calling each other “pare” for being the chosen ninongs of the most sought-after bachelor Valentino in Comval.
Sources said that among the sponsors, the ninongs and ninangs of Ramil and Joanna, are Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and House Speaker Prospero Nograles, Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario and former District 2 Cong. Tonyboy Floirendo, Comval Gov. Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, Comval District 1 Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora, District 2 Cong. Rommel “Bobong” Amatong, Tagum City Mayor Rey “Chiong” Uy, who’s whos in business and corporate world Nonoy Te, Madeline Dizon Marfori, Beth Uy Colina, Evelyn Ang, Arlene Ang and Nobleza Ang, among others.
Ramil, 33, and Joanna, 28, will exchange vows at the Redemptorist Church in Davao City at 2 P.M. this coming Saturday, Oct. 18. The reception will be at the Davao Convention Center along Torres Street, Davao City. Joanna, an Ateneo De Manila graduate, is the daughter of businessman Joseph Ang and Angelita Maranan Ang of Davao City. She is a high-ranking staff of Unilab Phils.
Ramil is son of businessman and former Monkayo Mayor Rizal Gentugaya and Rosita Lao Gentugaya. His constituents will have a date with the couple in a post-wedding ceremony at Monkayo on Sunday, reports said. From reports gathered, Ramil and Joanna met through his younger brother Roger (Ogie), who is also an Atenean but their families have been close due to some common businesses. The vice governor got Joanna’s “yes” just a few days before the May 2007 elections for his second term.
Ramil is considered as the most senior Lakas party member in District 1 qualified for the open congressional post in District 1 by 2010. He earlier confirmed to be running for the post, which Cong. Zamora’s daughter Boarmember Maricar Zamora-Apsay confirmed to be also running for. But Comval has two great affairs to remember this Saturday.
Coincidentally, the province has the other big bash- the 77th birthday of provincial elder Prospero Amatong, a former councilor, former mayor, former governor, and former congressman, with at least 43 years in elected public service with no record of electoral defeat.
When he retired from politics to have his son Bobong picked up his tough service close before the campaign period of the May 2007 elections, he was hailed as a true statesman. Until now even outside of the government, he remains to be influential political kingmaker. He is feared by the incumbents. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Humol does not mention controversial project in town’s festival opening
oct 16
The controversial P90-million bond flotation project pushed by Nabunturan Mayor Macario Humol during his last term appears to be turning either a hot potato, otherwise it appears to be junked as local officials never mentioned a single word of it during yesterday’s opening of the town’s 14th Simballay Festival.
In his keynote speech, instead Humol drumbeat on his administration’s recent accomplishments such as the P13-million integrated agricultural center in 5.6-hectare municipal land at Barangay Saosao where the farmers’ training center building and new slaughterhouse were inaugurated yesterday before noon after the parade and program at the municipal gym in the public market area.
He called on for continued unity of the people and prayed for paying of respect to one another.
He thanked Cong. Rommel “Bobong” Amatong, who was present, for the P1 million financial contribution from his congressional office for the slaughterhouse project.
Guests present during the festival’s opening included Dept. of Agriculture regional director Roger Chio, provincial senior executive assistant Belo Melendres, who represented Gov. Arturo Uy, who was accordingly on barangay sortie at faraway Panganason in Pantukan, and other municipal officials.
Humol however capped his speech with parting words, “what we have started must be completed.”
He finally recognized in public the donation of Councilor Raul Caballero of an ambulance unit to the municipal government, twice thanking the latter in his speech.
Caballero donated an ambulance he got from his South Korean friends for humanitarian purpose last May and for almost five months now the unit is still being held at the town’s motorpool and is prevented from running as the majority in the council including Vice Mayor Romeo Clarin allegedly did not want it to run ”due to politics”.
Clarin and Caballero have been reported to be both aspiring for the mayoral post by 2010.
With the holding on of the ambulance, it was even prevented from running during the July 3 bombing of Park and Go bakeshop which killed three persons and injured 14 others.
It was strange that the donee Caballero, who only wanted to realize one of his campaign promises, was even lengthily questioned by several collegues about the legality of the papers of his ambulance, “that’s why it is still not allowed to run,” said Councilor Alfonso “Jun” Tabas, another opposition councilor.
Yesterday, Caballero drove an ambulance with the same brand and looks to the one left in standby at the motorpool during the parade saying that it was meant for the public to know on the plight of his donated ambulance.
Also in yesterday’s affair, Clarin did not utter about the ambitious municipal bond float, which last Sept. 25 was formally opposed when about 200 petitioners filed a people’s initiative petition to the local sanggunian in their bid of having the controversial ordinance approving the bond float directly repealed by the people pursuant to the pertinent provisions of the New Local Government Code of 1991.
Petitioners led by Caballero charged that the P90-million bond float is exorbitant, extravagant and grossly disadvantageous to the government.
Amatong yesterday announced he would be infusing P15 million for roads in Nabunturan and other infrastructures in Nabunturan. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan finally sent back the Purok Ordinance to its point of origin- the City Hall in their last Monday’s session after denying the latter’s motion for reconsideration.
Eleven boardmembers present voted to return the measure to the proponent council for shelving on the same ground that “it is legally infirmed” as earlier ruled by the provincial legal department.
Sangguniang Kabataan federation president Dennis Cafe, who was earlier present, was mysteriously nowhere in sight when the measure was junked by his seniors.
Boardmember Helario “Larry” Caminero moved for the sponsorship of the Provincial Resolution No. 588 junking the City Council’s Resolution No. 71 on motion for reconsideration, following recommendation by the joint committees of government organizations and non-government organizations, and of laws, resolutions, ordinances and justice.
The Purok Ordinance under Resolution No. 27-2007 became controversial when it sought to abolish elections to give the city mayor the power to appoint officers from barangay nominees. It also provided merging of adjoining puroks. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
All departments of the Davao del Norte provincial government will be having no increase in their maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and capital outlay to scrimp more funds for a bigger budget for the priority projects under the overall RDR on Wheels program of Governor Rodolfo del Rosario.
In a phone interview yesterday, provincial budget officer Norma Lumain squelched reports that provincial departments would be suffering decreases in their MOOEs and zero capital outlay for next year, which observers considered to be already the “start of political year”.
“It’s not true. We’re only maintaining the 2008 budget level for the MOOE while the capital outlay proposals from departments are just deferred,” Lumain said.
She said that the maintaining of budget is being made to give way to del Rosario’s priority programs such as the universal Philhealth coverage for all province-identified poor and indigents, which needs P28 million, and his commitment to give P1 million per barangay in the province.
She added that if the provincial government could share an increment from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) from the national government and would have savings, the capital outlay for the purchase of equipment and vehicles of departments “would be prioritized in the first supplemental budget next year.”
In the annual executive budget that Lumain expected to forward to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan yesterday, it proposed for the 2009 budget of P624,540,612, of which P568,311,612 is the IRA. The budget grew by 14.7 percent from last year’s P544,583,000.
But sources close to the provincial Local Finance Committee considered that budget proposals from all departments were cut and slashed by 20 to 30 percent or about P2 million to P3 million down, “gikaltasan tanan”.
“They need to raise about P153 million to meet the essential ones, about P121 million for the statutory obligations,” sources said.
They also said that departments badly need MOOE increases next year considering the spiralling prices in the market to render public services effectively.
Budget cuts and slashes though have been made in order to meet increases in salaries and wages and for new positions and jobs under the reorganization that would take effect by the coming December, they said.
Political observers who refused to be named told Sidlak that next year is a “political year” and naturally any incumbent reelectionist would need to have populist projects and services such as the giving of thousands of Philhealth cards aside positioning to create jobs especially the political ones.
Earlier, the governor’s son and provincial sports coordinator, Anthony del Rosario, said that the RDR on Wheels, a numenclature representing the governor’s priorities and thrusts in his administration, is accomplishing only 20% rate, short of its three-year target. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Newly chosen Tagum Press Ombudsman, businessman Cesar Cuntapay doesn’t think so that the city will be much affected by the current global financial crisis. In his point of view as the chair of a consumer’s group in the city, he said that “Tagum can stand on its own feet”. He said that this is seen in the way the city taxpayers are religiously paying their taxes with subservience even under the high and so much taxation schemes of the city government. “They are left with no choice except to pay taxes,” he said.
Cuntapay visibly equates the city consumers he wants to protect to the paying taxpayers. He must have been bedazzled by a question from the local press. He has the right to say that, but isn’t taxes meant for the good of the people? So that we could have so much funds for development if we could squeeze further the people, especially the cheating businessmen to pay their right taxes to the government. Just give what is due to Cesar- he has a right to still open his mind now when the electoral mood is forthcoming- it’s almost December, regardless that he lost in his crack for the congressional post the last time. But I find many of his opinions to be ranging from rational to practical if not- cool huh?
Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario during the last time he blamed the pole-vaulting growers with harsh words -short of saying dah gigabaan lagi mo! - was optimistic that the province could be spared by the global depression for being a largely agricultural province. Our provincial economy is not much tied to the workings of international banks. This is a blessing although when the Press Secretary Jess Dureza said we have to prepare for the storm, he might have meant that the storm would come in seeing our share of OFWs returning home in droves to be with us by Christmas or early next year when their employers could no longer withdraw their deposits as banks abroad close shop and stock exchange markets tumble one after another.
We pray there would be no alien, strange repercussions to our local economies by the next movement of the present world in fear of depression worst than the last one in the 30s. Like what if what our vast banana markets abroad would be affected by the present financial storm, and domino effects would sooner come threatening to crash down our Davnor and Comval banana plantations to smithereens? In such unwanted spectre, our tens of thousands of banana workers will be thrown out from their jobs and livelihood, massive hunger would come, high crime index would further rise while the banana barons and growers, pole-vaulting and non pole-vaulting alike, will lose their dollar income sources. In such doomed afterthought, the fortress Tadeco collapses as well as the banana exporting firm that remains to the del Rosarios will go banana. Then banana economics determines Davnor politics. What if the global storm barrels through the world out here with two political kingdoms made out from the rubrics of bananas? I’m facing a blank wall on this except on new realignment of political forces and a changing of political landscape in the province, our number 1 banana exporter. (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com)
Tagum Mayor Rey Chiong Uy in a report of DXDN Radyo Ukay in Tagum early morning yesterday said that the city’s statistics on killings reported by the police “is no cause for alarm” adding that that those “salvaged” or killed were bad elements in the society, “mga kawatan, holdupper, snatcher, akyat bahay… so walay dapat ikaalarma.”
Asked in an exclusive field interview the other day by Ruel Dagsangan, anchor of Radyo Ukay’s early morning newscast program, the mayor added that the city in fact had been banking on its good peace and order situation in receiving continuing confidence from people for its continuing development.
In the same Radyo Ukay report, Vice Mayor Allan Rellon condemned extrajudicial killings in the city saying that the “root cause of the problem” should be addressed to in an effort of helping the police solve it.
The mayor’s and vice mayor’s statements came close to the heels of provincial police reports on the rise of crimes against persons particularly shooting incidents in the city that accounted the bulk in the reported cases throughout Davao del Norte.
Provincial police director PSSupt. Benelito Bianzon bared a total of 54 shooting incidents from January to October 10 in the city last Friday’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s human rights committee hearing-inquiry initiated by Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad, the committee chairman.
The crime statistics included the still unresolved slaying of long-time serving former Mankilam barangay captain and kagawad Noel dela Cruz.
PSSupt. Bianzon however that police has solved 23 crimes and a lot of petty crimes like stabbing, hacking and others and recovered many loose firearms in their Operation Kapkap.
But he also bared on increasing death threats which he said the police has been meeting difficulties in responding to all requests for protection considering the limited number of police personnel.
In that committee hearing, the police director admitted difficulties and loose ends in stemming off the rising crime index in the city primarily owing to the lack of police personnel to secure the high city population even as he said that the province is still generally peaceful.
He called on for active civilian support while asserting that police has all been doing its work to secure the populace.
Also in that hearing, Bianzon downplayed reports on the presence of death squad operating in the city, but he admitted the police is looking into reports on hired killers. PSSupt. also cited various causes and motives in the rise of shooting incidents in the city.
The hearing led to various initial proposals in addressing the problem of criminality which the SP committee had documented.
Boardmember Lagunzad said that extrajudicial killing is a human rights violation and vowed to continue his committee’s probe. He planned to conduct activities with barangay officials to address the problem.
Also present during last Friday’s committee hearing-inquiry held at Lakan’s Place were Boardmembers Jose Recarido Federiso, Ely Dacalus, Artemio San Juan, Salvador Royo, and SK federation president Dennis Café, Tagum City police chief PSupt. Dario Gunabe, CIDG-Davao del Norte provincial director PSupt. Rowena Garma, and some members of the family of the slain Dela Cruz who shared their fearful plight to the committee. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Diwalwal’s feisty barangay kapitan Franco Tito is at it again. He said he wants no comment to the forthcoming bidding to the areas outside the 729-hectare small scale mining area that his barangay covers because it is not within his area of jurisdiction, but on the next breath, he wants that the entire country should be off-limit to foreign mining. Not only the 1,800-hectare mineral reservation area, outside Franco’s 729.
It’s perhaps in the innate wizardry of the region’s most popular kapitan that whenever his mouth opens up, always it spews out sound bytes fitting to become a news. He’s after all an authority up there in Diwalwal, besides that Fr. Melvin dela Cuesta, the former controversial Nabunturan priest, is a new add-on one- in terms of religious life (Well, the priest has erected a over million-worth kumbento in Diwalwal which can be a good sleeping space ala Emmaus for visiting officials and wanderers. He intimated to this quarter that God really exists when he managed to strengthen the many GKKs there by just sipping a lot of coffee from parishioners when he jumped and hopped to unite a divided GKKs, between pro- and anti-Fr. Ali. Amen to that pads, dre, sure I’ll be there to document more Diwalwal’s long-running history, that is, if you already have a smartbro up there like kapitan, check my serious stuff at http://diwalwal.multiply.com).
Diwalwal’s great Franco Tito is not only a kapitan but also a Filipino. Sure. The kapitan is one down-to-earth, and hit talker. In all the tumbles of the most controversial and troublesome gold mountain in the country since be became a kapitan after Nonoy Pabilona became the first, Franco has been riding over crests of controversies carried up to Davao City and Manila media and always ends up to be the last man standing after the hubris settle down. He becomes a permanent media fixture and becomes one authoritative representation of the Diwalwal people. For as long as his 729 is not touched he’ll keep his silence, but since he’s a Pinoy, too, he shouts- the Pinas is for the Filipinos to mine, and not for the foreigners. Such a usual Franco barb trademark.
By the worst problems and great tasks that attend to the infamous mountain, even if he’s just a kapitan, he’s works like mayor reigning over 20,000 people. But don’t convert Diwalwal as town as a monkey wrench can be thrown to the Monkayo’s bid for cityhood for lack of 150,000 population, while it has still over 80,000 and already complied the requirements of P100-million annual income and 100 square kilometer land area. Monkayo after all is the No. 1 candidate for cityhood in the 11-town Comval. If Mayor Manuel “Junjun” Brillantes is wise enough he immediately attain the 150,000 population and make Monkayo a city if he insists on getting a lot of barangays that rightly belong to Comval and not Agusan del Sur if today’s erroneous northern borderline is corrected.
Now back to Franco, who is actually no alien to net technology. Perhaps he’s the first kapitan who uses Yahoo Messenger from his house in Panabo to teleconference using webcams for a meeting with his barangay kagawads up in Diwalwal barangay hall. Sources said Franco has long been using that since the Smart integrated a wireless net technology in its cellular system in the recent year. Such is first, another wizardry to the always beleaguered but indefatigable and hit talker kapitan. That’s a cheer, too, to the Chicken Joy-munching Chinese ZTE miners who had stalked Diwalwal’s belly sometime ago. (For online edition, visit my blot at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, e-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com, or ruralurbanews@yahoo.com)
Leaders of Namasco banana workers decry forcible takeover of their banana plantation in Compostela town during the press conference last Saturday with the Davao del Norte Press Radio and TV Club (DNRPC), Inc.at Cevannah Bar Café and Restaurant at Lapulapu St., Tagum City. At left is DNRPC chairman Greg “Loloy” Ybanez (Rural Urban News photo)
Some 170 banana workers in Barangay Osmena in Compostela town who are claiming to be the actual tillers of the land are protesting the forcible takeover to the 139–hectare of banana plantation by 159 “agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs)” after earlier given with Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) by the Department of Agrarian Reform.
The plantation is then leased bv the Ayala-owned Davao Fruits Corporation until leasehold contracts expired and workers went on growership.
“Many of them are dummies, former DFC employees, already businessmen, even some area already living in Davao City and in United States,” said Zosimo Ombajin, president of the Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Compostela (Namsaco) in a press conference after Saturday’s “Ipalanog sa Katawhan” press forum of the Davao del Norte Press, Radio and TV Club, Inc., (DNPRC) at Cevannah Bar Café and Restaurant in Tagum City.
Ombajin said that last August 11 the ARBs, accompanied by District 1 Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora and some policemen, allegedly went into breaking their barricade, disarmed their security guards and forcibly takeover a half of their supposed land.
“We were surprised on that day that the DAR installation order suddenly arrived ejecting us from the land we have been productively cultivating for many years,” said Ombajin.
Zamora accordingly accompanied the ARBs to help them be installed on the land as the CLOA holders due to the congressman’s promise in the last elections.
The 159 CLOA holders are accordingly girding to takeover the whole of the 139-hectare land, while the 170 actual workers are holding on working on half of the plantation area.
“As a result our families are now starving,” said complaining of scarce jobs and excess workers since they have already to be content on working a half the 139-hectare land.
On the same press conference, Pantaleon Libre Jr, an officer of Namasco, said that after the takeover the occupied land have already new workers of new growers from CLOA holders.
The actual workers though would still get the last harvest from the remaining bunches in the occupied land, he said.
“What we are demanding is that we should also be included as CLOA holders since it is us who made continuous possession and production over the land for the past ten years since 1998,” he said.
He said that CLOA holders are former DFC employees and workers who were already compensated by DFC as early as 1994 due to retrenchment, resignation or retirement.
“We were not informed on the CARP application nor had seen in the barangay bulletin board of any posting on DAR notice to put the land we have been actually working under CARP,” Ombajin said.
The Namasco has already petitioned the DAR central office to revoke the CLOA. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
Lagunzad’s HR committee probes on rise of killings in city
Rise of shootings, death threats reported to police
Civilians’ massive support vs. criminality called on
Mayor Uy: “killings no cause for alarm”
Davao del Norte police director Benilito Bianzon has called on
Attending the SP human rights committee hearing-inquiry Friday at Lakan’s Place restobar are (from right): Tagum city chief PSupt. Dario Gunabe, Davao del Norte PNP provincial director PSSupt. Benilito Bianzon, Boardmembers Salvador Royo, Ely Dacalus, Antonio Lagunzad (center), and (from left) CIDG-Davao del Norte PSupt. Rowena Garma, and other police officials (Rural Urban News photo)
support of civilians in the fight against rising criminality even as he downplayed reports on the presence of death squad operating in the city.
But he admitted the police is looking into reports on “hired killers” that has put Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad into saying that from reports that reached him they go for a kill at a lowly fee of only P3,000.
With that amount, Lagunzad said “pwede na… seguro sa hirap ng panahon. Lalo na kung ang papatayin ay may record na o kalalabas lang ng kulungan”.
The posh Lakan’s Place stands as a proud venue of the SP’s human rights committee hearing-inquiry on the reported rise of killings in the city last Friday. It is located along the national highway. some 3 kms away going south from the heart of the city. (Rural Urban News photo)
But Boardmember Lagunzad said “di pwede yan, human rights (violation) yan”. during Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s human rights committee hearing-inquiry on the reported rise of killings in Tagum City Friday morning at Lakan’s Place restobar.
He added that the provincial officials are watching developments and seeing many angles in the rise of criminality index which the police admitted to be occurring and wanted to stem down particularly in shooting incidents in the city.
As this developed, Mayor Rey Chiong Uy in a report of DXDN Radyo Ukay in Tagum Monday morning said that the the city’s statistics on killings reported by the police “is no cause of alarm” adding that that those who were killed were bad elements in the society, “mga kawatan, holdupper, snatcher, akyat bahay… so walay dapat ikaalarma.”
He said that the city in fact banks on its good peace and order situation in receiving continuing confidence from people for its continuing development.
In the same Radyo Ukay report, Vice Mayor Allan Rellon condemned extrajudicial killings in the city saying that the “root cause of the problem” should be addressed to in an effort of helping the police solve it.
On the hearing attended by boardmembers who are members of the SP committees on human rights and on peace and order and police and intelligence officers, police provincial director PSSupt. Bianzon bared that from January to October 10, the city has 54 shooting incidents including the still unresolved slaying of long-time serving former Mankilam barangay captain and kagawad Noel dela Cruz.
Dela Cruz, who was back riding on motorcycle, was waylaid morning the other Sunday at Mankilam and was shot to death by still unknown motorcycle-riding gunmen. Dela Cruz driver Albert Abule was left unharmed. As of Friday, the police was facing a blankwall on the suspects and the motive of the killing.
“About 5 percent of the shooting incidents is drug-related,” Bianzon said.
The Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos), on the other hand, has only two shooting incidents.
“There is also increasing death threats,” Bianzon said, for which he said the police has been meeting difficulties in responding to all requests for protection considering the limited number of police personnel..
He said that the incapacity of the police is seen in the high ratio of 1 policeman is to 1,373 persons to protect in the city.
He added that considering this high number of civilians to protect, while the “police has been on 24-hour duty and is doing its best”, chances are still “malulusutan pa rin kami even our checkpoints,” he added. “Give me one battalion of policemen and I’ll assure you for no crime.”
The city police is beefed up by support and mobile units such as reaction forces and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Biazon then called for massive civilians’ support to fight criminality in counterpart to the heightened police visibility that they have been putting up. “The PNP cannot stand alone without the help of the people. The PNP cannot effectively battle criminality without help.”
He said that if the police is given reliable information by the public “on the go agad kami” citing what they had accomplished when they were tipped off on the case where the kidnap and murder suspect fled to Samar from the city and they arrested the suspect there and resolved the case.
The police nonetheless solved 23 crimes against persons from January to September and solved a lot of petty crimes like stabbing, hacking and others and recovered many loose firearms in their Operation Kapkap, the police director bared.
But he said it is in crime against persons where the police finds difficulties in solving, largely owing to lack of witnesses from the public.
Tagum City police chief Dario Gunabe said that “there is a big problem on how the public react” to shooting incidents where witnesses shy out from giving statements to the police like the description of the suspect compared to petty crimes such as robbery and thief where people themselves volunteered to give information or even pursued suspects.
“The police should not be blamed and charged to be doing nothing. The people have the shared obligation to help the police such as when they see crimes happened, they have to give statement to the police,” Gunabe added.
PSSupt. Biazon also cited various causes and motives in the rise of shooting incidents in the city.
He named these as drug-related, involving persons with criminal instincts “na di makatulog kung di makapatay”, cases of killed persons with criminal records such as drug pushers and users, “na meron dyan na kalalabas pa lang pinapatay”, bungling and double-crosses within criminal syndicates, and a host other factors due to conflicts such as relating properties and land, “nag-aawayan sa lupa”.
SP’s peace and order committee chairmanBoardmember Jose Recarido Federiso called for support to the full activation of 4,000 barangay tanods in the province.
As to the arming of the barangay tanods, there is however financial and legal constraints to it, police authorities said.
Bianzon also called on public to immediately report police crime occurrences using the advantage of cellphone technology as he had earlier directed all his police chiefs in the province to post in public their hotline cellphone numbers.
Boardmember Lagunzad said that his committee probe would continue and that they would also conduct seminars with barangay officials on this.
Also present during the committee hearing-inquiry were Boardmembers Ely Dacalus, Artemio San Juan, Salvador Royo, and SK federation president Dennis Café, and CIDG-Davao del Norte Police Supt. Rowena Garma. Some family members of the slain Dela Cruz were also present. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
TAGUM CITY- As of Friday during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s human right committee hearing, the police is facing a blankwall as to who are the suspects and what is the motive in the killing of former Mankilam barangay captain amd kagawad Noel dela Cruz the other Sunday.
CIDG-Davao del Norte Police Supt. Rowena Garma apprised the hearing committee chaired by Boardmember Antonio Dela Cruz that CIDG investigators had still no lead on the suspects as they only had to contend with pieces of evidences left at the crime of the scene which they were evaluating.
She requested the bereaved family to have Dela Cruz body autopsied before burial even as her CIDG team is on the thick of investigation to arrest the attackers.
Evelyn de Vera, sister of wife of Dela Cruz, told the committee that they were facing a blankwall and a “big question mark”.
Dela Cruz, who was back riding on motorcycle, was waylaid morning the other Sunday at Mankilam and was shot to death by still unknown motorcycle-riding gunmen. Dela Cruz driver Albert Abule was left unharmed.
Tagum City police chief Dario Gunabe, on the other hand, said important in the solution of the case was the full statement of Abule.
He said that he found inconsistencies in the earlier statement of Abule, who said that he did not saw the suspects except the tire of the motorcycle of the attackers when hewas thrown outto slump on the road.
“Why he sustained no bruises at all in claiming for that?” Gunabe pointed out.
He said that the driver might be charged of obstruction of justice if he would not cooperate with the police.
De Vera though reasoned out that Abule feared for the safety of his family and was still on the stage of fear as of Friday.
She also said that the Dela Cruz family members also feared for their safety as well.
In the same hearing, Davao del Norte police provincial director Benelito Bianzon also asked the present Dela Cruz kins to trust the police in solving the crime.
He said he immediately organized the Task Force Dela Cruz after the killing with the provincial CIDG as the lead unit in the investigation to pursue and arrest the suspects
The SP human rights committee chaired by Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad conducted a hearing-inquiry on the reported rise of killings in Tagum City with the presence of provincial and city police officials last Friday morning at Lakan’s Place restobar.
Also present during the committee hearing-inquiry were Boardmembers Jose Recarido Federsio, also the chair of peace and order committee, Ely Dacalus, Artemio San Juan, Salvador Royo and SK federation president Dennis Café. Some family members of the slain Dela Cruz were also present. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com
