Phoenix Accelerate Vega National Dragster leg in Davao a success

Leading independent oil company Phoenix Petroleum Philippines powered the 2nd leg of this year’s Phoenix Accelerate Vega National Dragster 1/8 Mile Bracket Racing Competition held on June 21 and 22 at Speed City Crocodile Park, Davao City.

About 50 to 60 cars took part in the event that was participated by racers from as far as General Santos City, Cagayan, Cebu and Manila.

 “This is just the second leg of our 2013 drag race series. We still have more to come. We also have three car shows this year, one in Tagum City this July, one in General Santos City in October, and another one in November in Davao,” said Davao Drag Racing Association President and Ground Image Team Manager Elben Pang.

The event was for the benefit of the Missionaries of Charity, an institution that takes care of the abandoned young and old.

Ground Image is the newest Phoenix Accelerate Vega Drag Race Ambassador of Phoenix Petroleum. Under the memorandum of agreement signed on March 6, 2013, Ground Image will now carry the name Team Phoenix Accelerate Vega/Ground Image Racing Team in all their events.

Phoenix Petroleum Philippines is the leading independent oil company with an expanding network of operations nationwide. It is engaged in the business of trading refined petroleum products and lubricants, operation of oil depots and storage facilities, and allied services.

OCD XI launches National Disaster Consciousness Month in July

DAVAO CITY, June 28 (PIA)- The Office of Civil Defense XI will lead on July 1, 2013, the launching of the National Disaster Consciousness Month of July with the theme, “Ligtas na Bayan, Maunlad na Pamayanan.”

Loreto Rirao, director of the OCD XI said the kick-off activity will be held during the flag-raising ceremony to be participated in by government line-agencies which belong to the Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies in Region XI at the People’s Park.

He said though the launching ceremony will only be simple, this year’s disaster’s consciousness campaign will focus more on the resilience of all members of the community amid the calamity.

Rirao said residents must be taught first to be responders themselves before they rely on the assistance from rescue groups either from the private sector or government –line-agencies.

“We must instill on the minds of the people that they have to help themselves first especially once they are caught in the middle of a flash flood or any disaster while waiting for help to arrive,” he said.

Rirao said residents especially in flash flood prone areas must know the necessity of a survival kit which can be carried easily during emergency situations.

He said a survival kit contains dry clothes, several provision like biscuits and candies, bottled water, medicines, flash-light and transistor radio which come in handy when a disaster strikes.

Rirao stressed that though disaster preparedness, prevention and mitigation will still be part in the disaster consciousness campaign, residents must know how to wade and survive any ordeal while responders reach out to them. 

“Residents must help one another once they are caught in a distressing situation like flash floods.  If possible, they must be taught and learn how to swim and save neighbours in distress,” he said.  (PIA XI-Joey Sem Dalumpines)

New Tagum Mayor bares EAGLE's WINGS agenda

TAGUM CITY,  Davao  del Norte, June 28 (PIA):   As he vowed to become a  servant leader, newly -installed Tagum City Mayor Alan Rellon wanted to take the city to greater  heights through EAGLES’s WINGS.

In his inaugural speech delivered inside the Christ The King Cathedral of Tagum City , Rellon laid out  his administration’s agenda which  he labeled as “EAGLE’s WINGS.”

The acronym stands for Education, employment and culture; Agriculture and fishery;  Genuine peace, safety and security;  Livelihood and tourism;  Economy and affordability of taxes; Wellness and health;  Infrastructure, transportation and communication;  NGO, GO and Co-op convergence;  Good governance; and Social services.

In the presence of former mayor Rey T. Uy, Rellon said  he  will continue the artificial coral reef the botanical garden and the accretion area (at the banks of Hijo River) that Uy has developed

Rellon also would like to complete the construction of the new City Hall started by the past administration.  “I want to continue that edifice as a landmark of strong governance,” he said in his inaugural speech.

While recognizing the substantial development that the past administration has done to  Tagum

City, he  said his administration will continue to push the city to “greatness” on “the mighty wings of an eagle.”    

Of the 10 major agenda of his administration,  Rellon put emphasis on bringing down tax rates in the city at a much affordable level by pushing a policy  that can enable Tagum City to provide  a level playing field of more viable businesses.

In line with this,  Rellon revealed to the media his plans of conducting a public consultation to determine the level of taxes that would be “just and fair” in line with  his  objective of “extending protection and services fairly to the rich and to the poor, to the learned and the illiterate.”

Rellon was  also particularly concerned about ensuring everyone’s safety by eradicating summary killings which he revealed  to the media as having gone high in number of incidents in an average of “50 in year over a period of time.”

Rellon had long been airing this concern  with the church sector  with which he joined the “walk for peace rally held in Tagum City, last quarter of 2012.

Meanwhile,  former mayor Uy rallied support of Tagumenyos for Rellon as he also vowed  his support for the new mayor and his administration.

“Let us continue to help and support each other for the continuous progress of Tagum City,”  Uy said.  

He turned over the key of responsibility to Rellon at the altar of the Christ the King Cathedral while Rellon handed over to Uy a plaque of appreciation for having  served  as the city mayors  for 12  years in three consecutive terms and in 1998 to 2001.  (piaxi/Jeanevive D.Abangan).

TF Diwalwal adopts NEDA's draft dev't. plan

DAVAO CITY, June 27 (PIA):  The Project Monitoring and Coordination Center National Task Force Diwalwal (PMCC-NTFD)  recently passed  a resolution adopting the Diwalwal Mineral Reservation Area (DMRA) Development Plan for 2012 to 2032.

The DMRA Development Plan 2012 to 2032 will then be endorsed to the Regional Development Council.

National Economic and  Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director Ma. Lourdes Lim presented the draft  DMRA Development Plan to  focal person of member agencies in a meeting last Tuesday at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI conference room.

She bared efforts of NEDA XI to  come up with the plan as a m ember agency of the Socio-Economic  and Safety Nets Task Group  of the PMCC-NTFD “in response to the directive of the Office of the President to formulate plans that are resource-based and focused at sub-regional/sub-provincial level in order to prioritize interventions leading to the attainment of goals and objectives under the Regional Development Plan (RDP), 2011-2016.”

The  “most prominent issues and concerns” that the plan seeks to address  are heavy siltation  and contamination of Naboc River and its tributaries due to mining activities;  flooding and landslides,  problem on solid waste management,  illegal mining activities,  conflict of mining rights, partial collection of government share from mining activities and poor infrastructure.

Still subject for revision at the RDC level, the plan’s primary objective is to provide stakeholders in the mineral-rich area with long-term development framework that would encompass social, economic, environment, governance and infrastructure, “that would ensure a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to the area’s development.”

The plan sets five development goals which are increasing access to social services and productive employment opportunities;  increasing the productivity of mining, agriculture and tourism; achieving clean, safe, healthy and sustainable-managed environment;  improving governance; and achieving physical integration with quality and well-planned infrastructure facilities and rationalized  land use.

Lim pointed out the need to pursue the goals “to ultimately lead to the envisioned state of DMRA by 2032.”       

            The proposed vision says that “by 2032, Diwalwal Mineral Reservation Area (DMRA), shall have been economically productive and sustainably managed by a politically mature government collaborating harmoniously with all stakeholders…”

The draft plan has six chapters with chapter 1 stating the introduction, Chapter 2 on Development Potentials and Challenges, Chapter 3 on Development Goals and Objectives,  Chapter 4 on Development Strategies;  Chapter 5 Plan Implementation,  Monitoring and Evaluation  Mechanisms, Chapter Major Program, Activities and Projects and Policy Agenda.   (piaxi/ jeanevive duron-abangan)

Duterte-Carpio cites gains as she ends RDC-XI stint

DAVAO CITY, June 27 (PIA) Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio urged members of the Regional Development Council in Davao Region to continue to work together to reduce poverty and to revitalize and to make local industries globally competitive in order to provide more jobs for the residents, consequently attaining an inclusive growth beneficial for all Davaoenos.

In delivering her final state of the region address during the last meeting of the RDC XI under her watch Wednesday, she cited all the efforts ventured by the group based on the direction set by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III towards inclusive growth and good governance.

She underscored that the gains in the RDC’s performance in the last three years were attained through all government agencies and stakeholders, in private sector helping and working together.

Duterte-Carpio said based on the socio-economic performance, the region’s total economic output based on the Gross Regional Domestic Product reflected a downtrend from 2009 to 2011.

She said the planned targets fro 2010 and 2011 were not achieved as identified risk and external factors like higher cost of energy and oil prices, small-scale miners selling gold to black market, slower recovery of the American and European economies limited options. 

Duterte-Carpio also noted quality issues also impact on the export banana and changing climatic patterns continued to prevail.

She said even if the GRDP levels increased and rebounded Region XI as top economy among the six regions in Mindanao in 2011 in terms of value, the growth remained narrow.

“In the first semester of 2012, poverty incidence of families was placed at 28.6 percent, an increase of 1.7 percentage points from 2006 to 2012.  Even then, the region’s poverty incidence remains the lowest among Mindanao regions,” Duterte-Carpio said.

She noted also that the Davao Regions capacity to provide employment expanded sustaining the 95 percent employment rates in 2011 and 2012.

Duterte-Carpio said it was an indicator that the RDC XI succeeded in providing more employment opportunities to the people.

She also underscored the success of the RDC XI in surpassing its target based on the Millennium Development Goals reducing mortality and underweight prevalence among children five years old below, increased elementary school participation and access to safe water supply.

“Efforts in these areas must need to be sustained but much is yet to be done with respect to the other development goals especially in curbing maternal mortality and improving children’s cohort survival in basic education,” Duterte-Carpio noted.

She said the RDC XI being the highest policymaking and coordinating body in the region, is able to pursue the development agency using public and private participation in areas like investments, infrastructure programs and projects, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, no habitation policy on geologically hazardous areas, policy directions for sustainable development of the mineral reservation areas of the region, support to the  banana and coconut industries, and better access to quality education like the endorsement for the creation of the Davao Regional State University System.

Duterte-Carpio also underscored the RDC XI’s support to the enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program and to address the job-skills mismatch, particularly in technical education.

She said that in promoting peace and development, the council facilitated the capacity building of eight local government units of Compostela Valley and 79 barangays in Davao City, facilitating selected line agencies and the security sector on conflict sensitive and peace promotive approaches in planning process.

“These stakeholders were able to identify peace and development programs and projects and the priority areas where these shall be implemented,” Duterte-Carpio said.

She also underscored that the institutionalization of the Davao Region Results Based Monitoring and Evaluation System aided in promoting greater transparency and accountability within organizations and government and provided stakeholders a clearer sense of the status of projects, programs and policies.

“This led to the completion of six bridges in Davao del Sur funded by the Austrian government in 2011, the releases of the fund for the Integrated Resource Management Program in Davao Oriental and the favorable issues on the issues and concerns raised on the effective management of the Francisco Bangoy International Airport,” Duterte-Carpio said.

She said one of the impacts of the RBMES is the issuance of the Civil  Aviation Authority of the Philippine Central Office of a cease and desist order requiring all airline companies to use the aerobridges in the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers to ensure safety, security and convenience to elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.

Duterte-Carpio also said that finding solutions to power generation and depleting power sources for Mindanao were two major concerns closer to her heart during her stint as chair of the Regional Development Council XI.

She said that power remains critical for Mindanao even if she bows out of office on June 30 as mayor of the city.  

Duterte-Carpio noted that the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, the National Power Corporation and the National Economic and Development Authority Board-Infrastructure Committee and other concerned agencies responded to the Regional Development Committee-Mindanao recommendations ranging from the selective dredging of the Pulangi river to increase generating efficiency of the Pulangi IV hydro electric power plant, funding of the Agus VI hydro electric power plant and the Iligan Diesel Power Plant to its optimal operation power generating capacity.

She said the compounded efficient operations of these power generating facilities will contribute to the overall available power of the Mindanao Power Grid now and in the immediate future.

Dutete-Carpio also expressed hope on the interconnection between the Visayas and Mindanao grid, where surplus power from the geothermal power resources in Leyte will be passed to Mindanao.

She said that the RDC XI under her watch is able to come up a one-stop shop which makes easier for investors of mini-hydro power plants from five to 10 megawatt-capacity to get government nod to operate without going to the national agencies in Manila.

“Small hydro-power sources can also help in the power crisis in Mindanao,” Duterte-Carpio said.(RGA/JSD/PIA-XI)

Duterte-Carpio cites gains as she ends RDC-XI stint

DAVAO CITY, June 27 (PIA) Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio urged members of the Regional Development Council in Davao Region to continue to work together to reduce poverty and to revitalize and to make local industries globally competitive in order to provide more jobs for the residents, consequently attaining an inclusive growth beneficial for all Davaoenos.

In delivering her final state of the region address during the last meeting of the RDC XI under her watch Wednesday, she cited all the efforts ventured by the group based on the direction set by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III towards inclusive growth and good governance.

She underscored that the gains in the RDC’s performance in the last three years were attained through all government agencies and stakeholders, in private sector helping and working together.

Duterte-Carpio said based on the socio-economic performance, the region’s total economic output based on the Gross Regional Domestic Product reflected a downtrend from 2009 to 2011.

She said the planned targets fro 2010 and 2011 were not achieved as identified risk and external factors like higher cost of energy and oil prices, small-scale miners selling gold to black market, slower recovery of the American and European economies limited options. 

Duterte-Carpio also noted quality issues also impact on the export banana and changing climatic patterns continued to prevail.

She said even if the GRDP levels increased and rebounded Region XI as top economy among the six regions in Mindanao in 2011 in terms of value, the growth remained narrow.

“In the first semester of 2012, poverty incidence of families was placed at 28.6 percent, an increase of 1.7 percentage points from 2006 to 2012.  Even then, the region’s poverty incidence remains the lowest among Mindanao regions,” Duterte-Carpio said.

She noted also that the Davao Regions capacity to provide employment expanded sustaining the 95 percent employment rates in 2011 and 2012.

Duterte-Carpio said it was an indicator that the RDC XI succeeded in providing more employment opportunities to the people.

She also underscored the success of the RDC XI in surpassing its target based on the Millennium Development Goals reducing mortality and underweight prevalence among children five years old below, increased elementary school participation and access to safe water supply.

“Efforts in these areas must need to be sustained but much is yet to be done with respect to the other development goals especially in curbing maternal mortality and improving children’s cohort survival in basic education,” Duterte-Carpio noted.

She said the RDC XI being the highest policymaking and coordinating body in the region, is able to pursue the development agency using public and private participation in areas like investments, infrastructure programs and projects, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, no habitation policy on geologically hazardous areas, policy directions for sustainable development of the mineral reservation areas of the region, support to the  banana and coconut industries, and better access to quality education like the endorsement for the creation of the Davao Regional State University System.

Duterte-Carpio also underscored the RDC XI’s support to the enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program and to address the job-skills mismatch, particularly in technical education.

She said that in promoting peace and development, the council facilitated the capacity building of eight local government units of Compostela Valley and 79 barangays in Davao City, facilitating selected line agencies and the security sector on conflict sensitive and peace promotive approaches in planning process.

“These stakeholders were able to identify peace and development programs and projects and the priority areas where these shall be implemented,” Duterte-Carpio said.

She also underscored that the institutionalization of the Davao Region Results Based Monitoring and Evaluation System aided in promoting greater transparency and accountability within organizations and government and provided stakeholders a clearer sense of the status of projects, programs and policies.

“This led to the completion of six bridges in Davao del Sur funded by the Austrian government in 2011, the releases of the fund for the Integrated Resource Management Program in Davao Oriental and the favorable issues on the issues and concerns raised on the effective management of the Francisco Bangoy International Airport,” Duterte-Carpio said.

She said one of the impacts of the RBMES is the issuance of the Civil  Aviation Authority of the Philippine Central Office of a cease and desist order requiring all airline companies to use the aerobridges in the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers to ensure safety, security and convenience to elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.

Duterte-Carpio also said that finding solutions to power generation and depleting power sources for Mindanao were two major concerns closer to her heart during her stint as chair of the Regional Development Council XI.

She said that power remains critical for Mindanao even if she bows out of office on June 30 as mayor of the city.  

Duterte-Carpio noted that the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, the National Power Corporation and the National Economic and Development Authority Board-Infrastructure Committee and other concerned agencies responded to the Regional Development Committee-Mindanao recommendations ranging from the selective dredging of the Pulangi river to increase generating efficiency of the Pulangi IV hydro electric power plant, funding of the Agus VI hydro electric power plant and the Iligan Diesel Power Plant to its optimal operation power generating capacity.

She said the compounded efficient operations of these power generating facilities will contribute to the overall available power of the Mindanao Power Grid now and in the immediate future.

Dutete-Carpio also expressed hope on the interconnection between the Visayas and Mindanao grid, where surplus power from the geothermal power resources in Leyte will be passed to Mindanao.

She said that the RDC XI under her watch is able to come up a one-stop shop which makes easier for investors of mini-hydro power plants from five to 10 megawatt-capacity to get government nod to operate without going to the national agencies in Manila.

“Small hydro-power sources can also help in the power crisis in Mindanao,” Duterte-Carpio said.(RGA/JSD/PIA-XI)

Resilient DavOr celebrates founding anniversary

MATI CITY June 28 (PIA)-Bannered by the theme “Move on, Move up Davao Oriental” the 46th founding anniversary of the province is being celebrated as a testament to its resiliency.

The three towns of the province (Boston, Baganga and Cateel) were among the hardest hit areas during the onslaught of Typhoon Pablo last December 4 and is the site of relief and rehabilitation efforts by the government and international donor agencies.

The anniversary activities started last June 7 at the Capitol Covered court in Mati City which once served as a distributing center for food supplies to Pablo victims.  The facility became the venue for the opening of the provincial inter-office sports festival. The athletic activity for the provincial government employees will run up to the 28th of this month.

The Million Trees Movement, now on its 4th year, held its tree planting activity at Sitio Magay, Don Martin Marundan in Mati City on June 22.

The Hudyakaan or street party opens at 6pm today (June 28) at the capitol grounds.

On June 29, the Province will be hosting the Capitol Ball at 7 pm. It will be held at the old tennis court. Guests will be serenaded by the Provincial Capitol Choir.

The Capitol Ball will be graced by Provincial Governor Corazon Malanyaon with the traditional Vin d’Honneur to  be attended by Congressman. Nelson L. Dayanghirang (1st District) and Congresswoman  Thelma Z. Almario (2nd District), Vice-Gov. Joel Mayo Z. Almario, Mayor-elect Carlo B. Rabat and the Municipal Mayors-elect.

The Ball will witness the oath-taking of the newly-elected provincial, city and municipal government officials.   Governor Corazon Malanyaon will make her inaugural address after the oath-taking.

The program will culminate with a recessional, fireworks display and a dinner.

 The provinces of Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur were carved out from the undivided province of Davao in 1967 with the enactment of Republic Act 4867 a law which created the three provinces.(RG Alama/PIA XI with reports from DB Vicentino)

Duterte-Carpio cites gains as she ends RDC-XI stint

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur, June 28 (PIA) – Provincial health officer Dr. Azucena Dayanghirang has recommended for the establishment of a dialysis center in the province, aiming to provide affordable and accessible treatment facility for patients with kidney disease.         

Dayanghirang said this proposal will be presented to the incoming set of local government officials headed by newly-elected Governor Claude Bautista, and to the Department of Health for approval and funding requirements.

She brought up the necessity for a dialysis center to the Davao del Sur media during Wednesday’s (June 26) Kapihan sa PIA-XI in Digos City that tackled on the promotion of renal health care in celebration of this year’s Kidney Month.

She said if the facility would be available in the province, patients with kidney disease need not travel to Davao City, which is a one-hour ride from Digos City and more than an hour from other municipalities, to seek for treatment.

Although there are few existing private dialysis facilities in Digos City, Dayanghirang deemed it vital to put up a government-owned treatment center to cater to more patients, especially those from the low-income sector.

Dr. Chito Cornejo, kidney expert and diplomate of the Philippine Society of Nephrology-Davao del Sur Chapter based in Digos City, bared he has 60 patients undergoing dialysis at the Digos Doctors Hospital.

He told the media on the same forum that there are two patients at Gonzales Maranan Medical Center and six at NephroCare where he is the medical director.

He added that there are 500 dialysis treatments for these patients per month.

He said most these patients come from the municipality of Magsaysay, and the others are from Bansalan, Digos City, Malalag and Padada.

Cornejo however disclosed that there were patients who started their treatments in Digos City, but opted to continue at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City where treatment fee is cheaper.

The facilities in Digos City are asking P950 per treatment in excess of the PhilHealth benefits, and P2,900 per treatment without PhilHealth, he stated.

Meanwhile, Dayanghirang mentioned that only one patient undergoing maintenance dialysis was monitored to have been admitted at the Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital.

The proposal for the establishment of dialysis center is part of PHO’s five-year health program for the province as a result of the strategic planning among provincial, city and municipal health officers, she bared.

She urged for a continuous and strengthened renal campaign program in the province as she noted that the National Kidney and Transplant Institute – Renal Disease Control Program (NKTI-REDCOP) has ended last year in the province.

Dayanghirang said it was worthy to note that there are private practitioners like Dr. Cornejo and SPMC kidney specialist consultant Dr. Franklin Guillano who are actively advocating for renal health care.

The campaign against kidney disease in the country has been spearheaded by NKTI-REDCOP in partnership with the Philippine Society of Nephrologists and Philippine Information Agency. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)

ComVal Capitol Employees gitanom ang 3,000 punoan sa kahoy atol sa Arbor Day

by Gilbert M. Cabahug

Luyo sa kusog nga bunok sa ulan milampos gihapon ang tibuok probinsiya sa Compostela Valley sa pagtanom sa liboang punoan sa mga kahoy diha sa lain-laing mga lugar sa onse ka mga lungsod.  Kini  atol sa gihimong pagduyog sa probinsiya sa gihimong pagselebrar sa kauluhan sa National Arbor Day niadtong Hunyo 25, 2013, nga diin maoy nangulo sila si Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy ug ang onse ka mga Municipal Mayors sa usa ka adlaw’ng selebrasyon.

Synchronized ang gihimong Tree Planting Activity sa tibuok Probinsiya, ug ang mga empleyado sa Kapitolyo diha nagtanom ug kahoy sa Lamdag Agro-Eco-Tourism Complex sa Pasian, Monkayo.  Si Governor Uy gihapon  maoy nangulo kanila nianang sayo sa buntag, nga bisan sa kusog kayo ang pagbunok sa ulan, milampos gihapon sila pagtanom sa mokabat 3,000 ka punoan sa mga kahoy’ng Lauan, Mahogany, ug Acacia Mangium.

Gitug-an ni Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) Chief Mr. Eugene Alaba sa PAGRO, nga miapil gayud sa malampusong Tree Planting Activity ang 20 ka mga opisina sa kapitolyo ug diha sila nananom ug kahoy sa mga kilid sa karsada sulod sa Compound sa Agro-Eco-Tourism Complex sa ComVal.  (Gilbert M. Cabahug, ids-comval)

Sa ComVal: Mga sundalo ug civilian gi-harvest ang mga tanom nilang gulay

by Gilbert M. Cabahug

Nag-uban karon ang mga kasundalohan ug mga civilian  pag-harvest sa tanom nilang mga gulay sulod mismo sa kampo sa Alpha (Action) Company, 72nd IB, 10th ID sa  Philippine Army diha sa Brgy. Libasan, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province atol sa hiniusang pagsaulog sa 1st Harvest Festival sa kampo.

Sa usa ka adlaw’ng Harvest Festival daw walay gibating kakapoy ang mga sundalo ug katawhan diha sa Brgy. Libasan sa pagpamupo sa himsog ug bus-ok kaayong mga bunga sa tanom nilang mga gulay nga mao ang mga talong, kalabasa, water melon, mga upo, mga kalikot, atsal, ug kamatis. Sa dinahon mao say ilang gi-harvest niadtong adlawa ang himsog ug tambok nga mga dahon sa tanom nilang upland kangkong.

Sa wala pa nila sugdi ang harvest dunay gihimong field tour sa mga katawhan ug mga dagkong opisyal nga mitambong, ug panahon sa gihimong paglibot sa mga pananom, halos ang tanan niadtong mga miapil nagpadayag sa gibating kahimuot tungod sa makaiibog nga talan-awon sa mga preskong utanon sulod sa kampo nga niadtong higayona naghulat sa mokab-ot nga mga kamot sa harvester.

Human niadto, ang usa ka hamubong programa nga gisugdan sa mga pag-ampo sa pagpanguna sa Division Chaplain nga si Captain Pablo De Guzman. Maoy mihatag sa Opening Remarks si Brgy. Capt. Rommel Reyes nga gisundan sa Program Overview gikan ni Capt. Jovi Jan Ferido- Commander sa Alpha Company sa 72nd IB.

Mihatag sad sa ilang mensahe sila si Col. Angelito De Leon-Commander sa 1001st Brigade; si Vice Mayor Angelo Sotto nga maoy mihatag sa mensahe ni Mayor Romeo Clarin; ug si Vice Gov. Elect Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora nga mao say nagpabati sa mensahe ni Gov. Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy.

Gitug-an ni Vegetable Program Coordinator Erwin Mesias nga ang gi-harvest nga mga gulay maoy resulta nagpadayong Season Long Training kun libreng mga pagbansay sa Vegetable Production nga  gitawag ug “Gulayan sa Kampo”.  Libre kini nga gitunol sa probinsiya, sa LGU Nabunturan, ug sa East West Seed Company ilalom sa “Vegetable Production Program” ni Gov. Uy sa Compostela Valley.  (Gilbert M. Cabahug, ids-comval)

Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation nagtukod 16-Rooms School Buildings sa Manggayon E.S.

by Gilbert M. Cabahug

COMPOSTELA VALLEY PROVINCE-----Ang Taiwan-based nga “Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation maoy nag-angkon sa total rebuilding sa Manggayon Elementary School sa Compostela nga grabeng pagkaguba tungod sa Supertyphoon Pablo niadtong milabay’ng Disyembre 4, 2012, ug kini pinaagi sa bag-o lang gisugdan nila pagtukod nga 16-Rooms nga School Buildings.

Gitug-an ni PGSO Chief Arceli Timogtimog  nga apil sa gitukod nilang 16-Rooms diha sa Manggayon E.S. ang Classrooms, ug ang Administrative Buildings sama sa Library, Faculty Room, Principal’s Office, School Canteen, Multi-purpose hall, ug uban pa.

Niadtong Hunyo 24, gipahibalo mismo ni Gov. Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy atol sa Convocation Program sa mga empleyado sa Kapitolyo nga siya nalipay tungod padayon gihapon karon nga giulan ug mga hinabang ang probinsiya sa Compostela Valley nga diin, usa sa mga mihatag ug dakong tabang sa probinsiya mao ang Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation.  Ang Ground-Breaking Ceremony alang sa 16 rooms nga school buildings nahitabo matud pa sa unang semana sa bulan sa Hunyo 2013.

Kahibaloan nga niadtong Enero 5-6, 2013 ang Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation mituyo gayud pagduaw sa ComVal, ug sila nanghatag ug hinabang sa mga biktima sa bagyo.  Sa Enero 5 sila nanghatag ug relief goods sa Compostela ug pagka-Enero 6 didto na sad sila nanghatag sa New Bataan.  Ilang nakauban si Gov. Uy sa duha ka adlaw nilang pagpanghatag ug hinabang sa Typhoon Pablo Victims.

Matud ni Gov. Uy nga bag-o sa iyang kasinatian ang gihimo sa “Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation” nga diin bisan sila nga biktima sa bagyo gipahatag sad ug hinabang ngadto sa mga posibleng mamahimong biktima usab sa kalamidad.  Apan luyo niini nakadayeg gayud siya ug dako tungod sa maayong resulta ug gani tungod sa maayo nilang pagpasabot halos tanang biktima sa bagyo nga nakatambong miduol gayud sa alkansiya aron pagtunol sa ilang donasyon.

Dako sad matud pa ang iyang pagdayeg sa mga mahinungdanong butang nga  gibansay  sa Buddhist Tzu-Chi, labi na sa gabayan sa success in life nga gitudlo ni Master Cheng Yen sa Taiwan nga mao ang kanunay’ng paglitok sa maayong mga pulong (say good words); ang kanunay’ng paghuna-huna ug mga maayo (think good thoughts); ug ang kanunay’ng pagbuhat ug matarong (do good deeds).  (Gilbert M. Cabahug, ids-comval)

San Miguel E.S. sa Compostela gitukoran ug 6 classrooms sa San Miguel-Petron

by Gilbert M. Cabahug

COMPOSTELA VALLEY PROVINCE-----Unom gayud ka school-buildings ang gitukod sa Petron Foundation diha sa San Miguel Elementary School sa Brgy. San Miguel sa lungsod sa Compostela, ug matud ni Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy nga nahuman na ang 1-unit 4 classroom-building nga unang natukod ug ila na kining gi-turn-over sa eskwelahan niadtong Hunyo 18, 2013.

Samtang gisugdan na sad pagtukod sa Petron ang laing 1-Unit 2 Classroom Building nga maoy ilang commitment sa “Akbay, Gabay, Aruga tungo sa Pag-Angat at Pag-Asa” kun AGAPP-Silid Pangarap Foundation ni Presidential Sister Pinky Aquino Abellada diha gihapon sa San Miguel Elementary School.

Sama sa nahitabo sa Corazon C. Aquino High School sa Brgy. Osmeña nga gitukuran ug 1 Unit 6-Classroom Building sa “The Philippine Star,” gitug-an ni Gov. Uy nga ang mga kadagkuan sa Petron nagsulti kaniya nga sa pag-identify sa mamahimong beneficiary sa tukoron nilang School Buildings sa ComVal, ang management nagpili sa San Miguel Elementary School tungod kapangalan kini sa bag-ong tag-iya sa Petron nga mao ang San Miguel Corporation.

Kahibaloan ng ang bag-o gimugnang Corazon C. Aquino High School diha sa Sitio Baclog sa Brgy. Osmeña, Compostela mao sad ang gipiling tukoran sa  usa ka Unit nga 6-room building sa “Star Group of Publication” tungod suod nga higala ni kanhi President Corazon Aquino si Betty Go-Belmonte nga maoy Founder sa The Phil. Star.

Si Betty Go Belmonte maoy asawa ni Cong. Feliciano Belmonte ug inahan ni Mr. Miguel Belmonte nga maoy Presidente ug CEO sa Star Group of Publication nga diin ang mga kompanyang sakop niini naglangkob sa The Philippine Star; Philippine Star Ngayon; PM-Pang Masa; ug sa Filipino Star Printing Corporation. (Gilbert m. Cabahug, ids-comval)

DSWD relief, rehabilitation efforts for Pablo victims still on-going

Even as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) noted that families affected by typhoon Pablo in Region XI are back to their normal way of life,  relief distribution and rehabilitation efforts are still on-going.

“This is to ensure that initial efforts to help the families settle down are sustained,”  DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman explained.

Secretary Soliman said that cash-for-work, trainings on livelihood,  and provision of shelter and educational assistance will continue to be implemented to further uplift the condition of the affected families.

To date,  approximately P1.3 billion worth of assistance was extended to the victims of Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, and Compostela Valley. The assistance included foodpacks, noche buena packs, bunkhouses, cash-for-work, emergency shelter and educational assistance, as well as other food and non-food items.

DSWD implemented the cash-for-work program to help the victims meet their daily needs while looking for more permanent sources of livelihood.  They received P226 a day for ten days in return for doing community work. A total of 58,817 beneficiaries were assisted.

To complement the cash-for-work, the DSWD and partner agencies facilitated the employment of affected individuals.

This is through cash-for-training, “trabahong lansangan,” farm development cum vegetable production, food processing, mushroom culture, organic farming, massage therapy, and cosmetology, among others.  A total of 35, 483 beneficiaries were given employment through these initiatives.

In time for this year’s school opening,   the DSWD opened  its educational assistance program benefiting 512 students. The DSWD paid P2.3 million to different schools in the region where the students were enrolled.

Secretary Soliman said that the government continues to converge various services from the different line agencies to sustain gains  along rehabilitation of areas devastated by Pablo.

“For our part, we hired personnel to focus on the recovery operations of areas devastated by typhoon Pablo. They will be deployed to the nine hardest hit municipalities of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental,” Secretary Soliman concluded. DSWD

Fire dancers warm up Kadagayaan nights

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, June 27: Playing with fire is generally known to be a bad thing, but dancing with fire? Well, that's something else entirely.

Fire dancing heated up the opening of cultural nights of the Kadagayaan Festival, in celebration of the 46th Araw ng Davao del Norte on July 1, 2013, with this year’s theme: “Kulturang Dabaonon: Paghinumdum (remember). Paghanduraw (revisit). Pagtahod (respect).

 The ancient art of fire dancing has been practiced by the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand to increase flexibility, strength and coordination.

This life-threatening art is a passion shared by Kim Murtz, 22, with his cousin Jeremiah Maulit, 23, both residing at the Palm City of Tagum.

Jeremiah recently introduced fire dancing to Kim and formed the group “Sela Lewana,” an Alibata word which means blazing light.

“Gipili namo kini nga pangalan kay mao kini nag-simbolo sa among pasundayag na lage kaming sumusiklab sa liwanag hangtod makab-ot namo ang kalampusan. (We chose this name because it symbolizes our performance that we are always blazing thru the light until we achieve success),” explained Murtz.

The group takes fire safety precautions before every show considering that it is a very dangerous performance art. They have been practicing it for almost two years, with special appearance during the 2011 Musikahan Festival of Tagum City.

Before mastering their moves,  fire dancers learn the basic steps of 2-beats and 4-beats of weight with choreographed routines and heart throbbing music.

They then expand to fire twirling with a pair of roughly arm-length chains, fire staff using a metal or wooden tube ranging from 1-2 meters long, which even levels up to fire breathing and fire juggling.

Aside from the fire dance exhibition, the cultural nights of the 2013 Kadagayaan Festival also consist of live band entertainment, games and surprises.

The Kadagayaan Festival, which is grand festival to commemorate the abundant blessings, as well as, draw hope for more successes to come, has been primed by Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario to be a major cultural festival in the region and the whole country. ( Nice Tolibas/DavNor PIO)

LGU workers showcase talent during festival

TAGUM CITY,Davao del Norte, June 27 (PIA) - Local Government Unit (LGU) employees had the time of thier lives transforming from public servants into performers as they showcased their talents during the Government Employees Got Talent challenge.

The contest was staged as a highlight of the Kadagayaan Festival 2013 Cultural Nights in celebration of the 46th founding anniversary of the province.

The LGU band of the municipality of Kapalong bagged the top prize with their electrifying rendition of an OPM medley, bringing home a cash reward of P10,000.

The Municipal Band of Asuncion and the Sto. Tomas Fire Ball clinched the second and third places, with a purse of P7,000 and P5,000, respectively.

Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said that aside from craft and product displays that show off abundant harvest, this year’s celebration, with the theme, “Kulturang Dabaonon: Paghinumdum. Paghanduraw. Pagtahod.”, also intends to feature the imaginations and talents of the Dabaonon people. (Noel Baguio-DavNor Info Div.)

DavNor now offers affordable tourism packages

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte (PIA) – Visitors can now enjoy the authentic beauty of the province with budget-friendly tour packages that showcase the best resorts and attractions in the Banana Capital of the country.

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario led the launch of the ‘lets touR DavnoR’ Tourism Circuit Packages to offer bundled trips to the top destinations in the province, as part of the extensive promotions and marketing campaign of the provincial government.

The event was one of the highlights of the opening salvo of the week-long Kadagayaan Festival 2013, in celebration of the 46th Araw ng Davao del Norte on July 1, 2013.

With affordable day tour packages ranging from P800 to P1,500 per individual, foreign and local visitors can choose to bask in the allure of pristine white sand beaches or enjoy the equally-satisfying agriculture, culture and ecology (ACE) destinations in the province.

Aside from the world-class beaches in the Island Garden City of Samal. The vast banana plantations in the mainland and the highland journey in nature and culture  which will include waterfalls, springs, and lakes, as well as the Ata-Manobo Cultural Village will complete  the 'Island-to-Highland' tourism brand of the province.

Provincial Tourism Council President Araceli Ayuste said some of the tourism packages feature destinations in two or more local government units which were clustered to ensure that nobody is left out as far as tourism development is concerned.

She revealed the bundles were identified by the respective local tourism officers with the concurrence of the various tour operators and travel agencies in the region.

With the lets touR DavnoR packages, Provincial Tourism Officer Noel Daquioag said it is now easier to introduce products and services available in the different cities and municipalities of the province.

He added the project also aims to instill among the Dabaonons greater pride and interest on the best things that their own province has to offer.

In order to stir the local tourism industry, Daquioag’s office has since initiated the “Kilalanin Ang Sariling Atin (Know Your Own)” tagline to invite Davao del Norte residents to be inbound tourists and co-travellers, as well, and sharing the experiences and having fun with the visitors.

To avail of the lets touR DavnoR packages, interested tourists may visit the Provincial Tourism Office or call the Davao Tour Operators (DATO), care of Alex Divinagracia at 0932-884-8198. They can also get in touch with Tagum City Travel Agencies Association (TACITA) President Ms. Jam Baronda at 0922-850-5027. (Noel Baguio-DavNor Info Office)