3 Malitano achievers cited in “Parangal ng Bayan”

MALITA, Davao Occidental, June 30 (PIA) – Three achievers from the municipality of Malita have been cited as outstanding individuals during the Parangal ng Bayan awarding rites held recently in Digos City as part of the weeklong celebration of the 48th Araw ng Davao del Sur.

Malita Mayor Benjamin Bautista, Jr. said his town is honored to have outstanding achievers in the fields of peace and development, as well as sports.

The provincial government of Davao del Sur recognized and cited 73rd Infantry (Neutralizer) Battalion Commander Lt. Col Ronnie B. Babac, 73rd IB Platoon Leader 2nd Lt. Jerson F. Sanchez, and athlete Nicole Anne S. Bautista, for their achievements.

Babac, who assumed command January this year, has proven himself for just a short period of time by his remarkable contributions for peace and development.

He is directly involved in the construction of various development projects for the 2nd District of Davao del Sur or the newly created Davao Occidental province that covers the municipalities of Sta. Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani Island.

Babac also always assures security measures which resulted to unhampered developments even in the remotest areas.

Sanchez successfully led an encounter operation on February 16, 2015 that resulted to the killing of seven members of the New People’s Army and recovery of nine high powered firearms.

This eventually paved way to the surrender of thirteen NPAs and the downgrading of Guerilla Front 75 in just five months.

The exemplary and conspicuous leadership of Babac enabled rookie (with barely one year in the service) Sanchez to confidently lead his platoon in the successful encounter against the New People’s Army.

In the field of sports, 15-year old Nicole Ann S. Bautista received the award as Outstanding Athlete for being a gold medalist in the lawn tennis event during the Palarong Pambansa 2015 held in Tagum City in May this year.

Nicole Ann is the only child of Malita Vice-Mayor Bradly Bautista and granddaughter of Congressman Franklin P. Bautista of Davao Occidental.

The young achiever shared her secrets to become a champion, saying that one should stay focused, strategize and play for fun.

She also urged the youth to be contributors, catalysts of change and to become hope of the country.

Nicole Ann thanked her grand uncle Davao del Sur Governor Claude P. Bautista, saying “Super thank you po for making me bida sa larangan ng sports.”

The provincial LGU is dedicating the tagline “Sa Davao del Sur, Ikaw ang Bida” to the province’s outstanding achievers. (CDIO-Malita/Alona Estrella/PIA-XI, CLC)

Duterte orders police to speed up disposition of cases

DAVAO CITY, June 30 (PIA) Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Davao City Police Office to create a new office with the sole function just to serve subpoenas and summons.

Speaking in the Regional Peace and Order Council 11 meeting at the Meng Seng Hotel, he pledged to provide the office with a car and three motorcycles to be used solely for the delivery of court orders.

“The police must see to it that the summons and subpoena reach the persons concerned immediately,” Duterte said.

He asked the court to give the City Mayor’s Office 15 days to set up the office.

Duterte also urged the courts to furnish the office the summons and subpoenas for it to act accordingly.

He expressed dismay to the non-appearance of policemen in court which usually leads to the dismissal of cases.

Duterte also reiterated the warning that there is a penalty for either intentionally or unintentionally avoiding testimony in court.

“It can result to the dismissal of cases,” he stressed.

Duterte also ordered to resort to arrest policemen who receive the summons but remain absent in court hearings.

“A complaint against them might be filed before the Police City Director or the Philippine National Police, copy furnished the Justice Secretary, and surely they will have trouble explaining, because the law itself specifies a high penalty for their absence in court,” he said.

Earlier during the meeting, Regional Trial Court Branch 13 Presiding Judge Rowena Adlawan revealed that one of the issues and concerns besetting the drug courts is the non-appearance of policemen as witnesses which is one of the reasons for the delay in the disposition of cases and dismissal of drug cases against accused respondents. 

She cited their difficulty of looking for the policemen who have either retired from the service or have transferred assignments.

Adlawan also observed that as the cases drag on, only the prosecutor would show interest in pursuing the deliberation while the police loses the enthusiasm and would intentionally forget the details of the operation.

“That is why in the future, I will ask the Supreme Court to give us a Closed-Circuit Television so that for future reference they can assess the demeanor of the policeman testifying in court whether he would bungle the case or not, coupled with our stenographic notes.  Our court means business,” she stressed.

Adlawan said RTC Branch Nine and RTC Branch 13 are the courts designated by the Supreme Court to hear drug cases in the city.  (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

Part II News Feature Davao Oriental: Taking a journey to progress

MATI CITY, Davao Oriental, June 30 (PIA) --- The provincial government of Davao Oriental  has made progress in agriculture and  also strengthened disaster risk reduction management aside from  creating a dent in addressing poverty, malnutrition, health services  and revenue collection.

                Rice  production is the  major  player in the agriculture sector of Davao Oriental.  Through its Food Intensification Program, the province posted 67 percent  rice sufficiency in 2011  from 44 percent in 2007.

                On Agriculture

                The provincial government expects to soon hit 100 percent rice sufficiency level with the completion late last year of the Cateel Irrigation Project designed to irrigate 1,600 hectares to 2,000 hectares of rice fields in the municipality.

                It  also counts as indicators of a much improved agriculture production the string of awards in agriculture  that it has received, particularly as Gawad Saka Regional Champion award in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. It ranked among the top 10 provinces  as Agri Pinoy Rice Achiever Awardee (APRAA) in 2015, having achieved  outstanding performance in rice production.

            The provincial government attributed such accomplishments in agriculture to  its flagship program “Pagkain at Kita and Agri-Business Development Program” that it has rolled out  along with the Rural Entrepreneurship Advocacy for Change (Reach).

            On  Peace and Order

             On the other hand,   the provincial government has taken into account the implementation of  Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as a crucial factor of establishing relative peace in the province.

           As a result, the AFP declared Davao Oriental in 2013 as totally development- ready. Governor Malanyao also earned in the same year the Gawad sa Kaunlaran Award, the highest recognition given by AFP to an LGU official who worked well for peace and development.

         Malanyaon then built  in April, 2013 a halfway house called “Happy Home”, a transitional home “providing psychosocial, spiritual counselling and livelihood trainings for former rebels”.

On Disaster Management

            Meanwhile, within eight years, the provincial government of Davao Oriental has strengthened its disaster risk reduction and management capability, consequently, holding the title as Regional  Gawad Kalasag Champion for six consecutive years  from 2009 to 2014.

            Provincial Governor Corazon Malanyaon attributed to the already established disaster management capability of the province, its able response to super Typhoon Pablo that badly hit the east coast towns of the province in December 2012.

            She counted the setting up of the  Provincial Central Incident Command Post (PCICP) and the establishment of municipal incident command posts in all towns as crucial “to the orderly and effective coordination in the disaster response operations” during and after Typhoon Pablo.

           On typhoon Pablo Rehab

            More than two years after Pablo, the provincial government claims to have gained headway in its rehabilitation efforts to build back badly hit towns of Cateel, Boston and Baganga through its      the Building Back Better Program that charts “Davao Oriental’s Way Forward for 2013-2016”.

           Data from  the Provincial Governor’s Office (PGO) revealed that close to 17,000 permanent shelters have been constructed  by the provincial government with funding support from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). These have been turned over to typhoon victims.

           More than 500 permanent shelters were also  built by the National Housing Authority (NHA) and turned over to typhoon victims, while more than 8,000 workers were employed  in shelter construction.

            In addition to coconuts intercropped with short-term duration crops, new crops  have been identified for propagation, such as  oil palm, rubber, cacao, coffee, fruit trees and bamboo

           The resiliency of Chili was also discovered after Pablo that prompted the provincial Agriculture Office with the Department of Trade and Industry Davao Oriental Field Office to explore its market potential, consequently helping typhoon-affected farmers to find alternative source of livelihood.

On Local Governance

            Despite the numerous setback it has gone through,  the provincial government of Davao Oriental has reaped awards on local governance.       

          Among these are the 2012 Regional Gawad Pamana Ng Lahi, Seal of Good Local Governance in 2013, in 2014 and in 2015;  and the 2015 Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping. 

          Approaching the final year of her administration, Malanyaon still keeps in step with  the provincial development plan in running her administration but she prioritizes environment, eco-tourism and rural tourism.

         

         However, she still gives importance on agriculture among other key sectors she viewed as drivers of the local economy.  (PIA 11/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)

Davao City's peace and order remains stable despite death of Parago

DAVAO CITY, June 30 (PIA) Authorities assured the residents that the peace and order situation in the city remains stable despite the death of rebel leader Leoncio Pitao alias Kumander Parago of the Pulang Bagani Comand 1.

Senior Superintendent Vicente Danao, Jr, director of the Davao City Police Office in an audience with the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao expressed hope that the perceived retaliation of Parago’s companions in the rebel movement will not happen, despite the incident.

He said a standing order has been issued to policemen assigned in the far-flung barangays of the city to be alert and extra-careful particularly in the districts of Paquibato Marilog, Baguio and other areas which might be targets of opportunity.

Danao revealed the police is watching on groups that might exploit to create trouble.

“We are even guarding the place of Kumander Parago’s wake,” he said.

Danao assured that comrades of Parago that they can visit Kumander Parago’s wake provided they do not carry weapons, explosives and that they have no standing arrest warrants.

He described Kumander Parago as a warrior who fought for his principles up to the last hour.

Danao also stressed that the rebels will continue to respect the gentleman’s agreement forged by the local leadership and the rebels not to touch anyone in the security sector despite the death of Parago.

Colonel Macairog Alberto, commander of the Task Force Davao assured the local legislators that no civilian was hit in the crossfire in the encounter between the soldiers and Kumander Parago’s group.

He said based on the investigation conducted by the Scene of the Crime Operation of the police, no civilian was hit in the encounter.

Alberto assured that both the TF Davao and the DCPO are ready to deter any threat to the city’s peace and order.   (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)