NGCP steel tower in Aleosan repaired

                                                  NGCP steel tower in Aleosan repaired

ALEOSAN, North Cotabato – The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has completed repair works of a bombed steel tower in Barangay Pangangan here, police and NGCP today said.

           Melfrance Capulong speaking for NGCP, said repair works of tower no. 63 was completed on Saturday without resistance from lawless elements responsible in setting of improvised bomb on January 14.

           NGCP line men immediately conducted the repair works during the first hours of Friday after two of the four legs of steel pylon was damaged.

           The tower was not toppled according to Senior Inspector Jun Napat Aleosan police chief.

\           He said measures are up to protect other towers in Aleosan with the help of village officials and watchman.

           No one has claimed responsibility for the attack in Aleosan, the first this year. NGCP said 16 towers were destroyed in 2015 due to bomb attacks.

          

In state of Union, Obama confronts America’s Fears

WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama on Tuesday set forth an ambitious vision for American’s future, but conceded his own failure to heal the political divisions, which had held back progress, calling it a lasting disappointed of his tenure.

           In a prime-time televised speech, Obama used his final state of the Union address to paint a hopeful portrait of the nation after seven years of his leadership with a resurgent economy and better standing in the world despite inequality at home and terrorism abroad.

           But Obama, who campaigned for president on promises of hope and change and vowed when he took office to transform Washington and politics itself, accepted responsibility for falling far short of that goal.

           “It’s one of the few regrets of my presidency, that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better,” Obama said, adding that” a president with the gifts of Lincoln of Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide.”

           He acknowledged that frightened Americans feel frightened, even as he offered an implicit rebuke of Republicans who are playing on those insecurities in the race to succeed him.

           Obama singled out Donald Trump, the leading Republican presidential candidate, for pointed criticism, saying that Americans must resist calls to stigmatize all Muslims at a time of threats from the Islamic State.

           “Will we respond to the changes of our time with fear, turning inward as a nation and turning against each other as a people?” Obama said. “Or will we face the future with confidence in who we are what we stand for and the incredible things we can do together?”  The New York Times    

2015 a bright phase for GenSan’s Booming Economy

GENERAL SANTOS CITY…. The year 2015 marked a bright phase for this city as seen with its resiliency amid various critical challenges, notably in the socio economic front.

           The city’s agriculture sector slowed down during the first few months of the year mainly due to the impact of a long dry spell trigged by the mild El Nino phenomenon but it was eventually offset by the significant gains in the trade and investment scene.

           With the long brownouts that previously plagued the city and the neighboring localities now practically history business expansions and public infrastructure developments were again in high gear, sustaining trend that started about four years ago.

           Topping the list are the entry of fresh industrial ventures and the opening of the major fast food chains, prime and economy hotels as well as resorts.

           The usual distractions - - - natural calamities and security—related problems - - came but hardly made a dent to these gains.

           Proof of this is the city’s successful hosting of several international and national conferences, conventions as well as local festivities that drew thousands of visitors anew to the area.

          These indicators showed that the area’s socio-economic foundations are now well in place, heralding much better runs in the years ahead.

          The city which is considered as Region 12’s commercial and trading center, showed a relatively strong economic performance in the last 11 months as shown by the continuing expansions in the area’s industry and services sectors.

           In fact, the National Economic and development Authority (NEDA) in Region 12 noted that the city remained a bright spot of the region economy wise in the last two years.

           Arturo Valero NEDA Region 12 director said the city thriving industrial sector, which is mainly anchored on the tuna industry, practically kept the region’s economy afloat after a noted slowdown in overall economic growth in 2014.

           Following a record of 8.4 percent in 2013 the region’s economic growth which is measured through the Gross Regional Domestic Product, slowed down to 6.4 percent in 2014.

          The city’s blooming economy could be seen with the continuing growth in its property sector, especially in housing, hotels and resorts.

           Early this year, Davao-based mass housing developer 8990 Holdings Incorporated announced its planned expansion to the city with an initial investment of P1.1 billion.

           The company is currently developing its flagship Deca Homes GenSan Bay-view project, which involves 1,271 houses and lots with an area of 80-150 square meters.

          The 67.53-hectare housing project will feature various modern amenities like parks, playground, among others.

           Homegrown firm RD Group of Companies also signified to push through with its shopping mall project in Barangay Calumpang here that was earlier projected to cost over a billion pesos.

          In November, a group of investors from Manila announced that it would soon start the development of a modern hospital in the city.

           The facility, which will be called the Sarangani Bay Specialist Medical Center, will be managed and financed by Manila based doctors, said city Mayor Ronnel Rivera.

           The planned hospital will be constructed at the corner of the Makar-HADANO JUNCTION AND THE National Highway in Barangay Apopong specifically in a 5,000 square meter property.

          Under its 2015 infrastructure program, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in region 12 allotted around P636.13 million for the city and areas under South Cotabato’s second engineering district.

     

           In 2014, the agency released a total of P484.78 million for the area’s various priority infrastructure projects which includes the expansion and concreting a primary and secondary road networks.

           for 2016, it allotted an additional P1.029 billion for the road upgrading and concreting , road widening and concreting, and the construction of bridges, flood control and drainage structures.

           Reynaldo Tamayo sr., DPWH Region 12 director, said part of the funds will be utilized for the completion of the remaining sections of the P1.135 billion city circumferential road project. 

     

           “We’re targeting to complete this project before the end of President Aquino’s term,” the official assured.

           The DPWH in coordination with the Department of Transportation and Communication, also started the preparatory works earlier this year for the planned P959 million city airport industrial complex or aerotropolis

           The project, which is among priorities set under the government corridors strategy is mainly aimed to position the city as a major international gateway in Mindanao.

           The proposed aerotropolis will cover around 200 hectares of land surrounding the city airport that would be developed into an integrated complex which will feature business parks, amusements parks, hotels, an integrated food terminal, food processing and manufacturing plants and shopping malls.

            Based on its projections, NEDA-12 noted that the manifestation or abundance of tuna catch during the fourth quarter of 2014 would continue this year.

           “This would mean that there would be intensified commercial fishing, as well as tuna canning/manufacturing activities in General Santos City,” Valero said.

           A report released by the Philippine Exporters (PhilExport) in Region 12 showed that tuna export receipts from January to August this year already reached USD 183,369,383.26

           Last year the Bureau of Customs listed the total Tuna exports from the area at USD 261,218,813.35

           The monthly receipts from tuna exports slightly increase to an average value of USD 22,921,172.91 or up by USD 1,152,938.46 from last year’s USD 21,768,234.45.

           The city is top producer and exporter of fresh chilled tuna which mainly goes to major markets in the European Union and the United States.

           Dubbed the “tuna Capital of the Philippines” the city hosts six of the country’s seven tuna canneries and various related industries.

           In July the city was officially recognized the Guinness World Records for setting a record for the world’s largest fish display.

           Guinness approved the city’s display of around 25.5 metric tons (MT) of tuna that was made on Sept. 11, 2014.as a new world record.

           The record bid was the highlight of the 2014 or 16^th Tuna Festival, which was co-organized by the city government and the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority General Santos Fish Port Complex.

           The world record was achieved by fish port workers who were able to display and weigh around 33.610 kilogram or 33.61 MT in about 15 minutes. (PNA)

           .

2 KILLED, 1 INJURED IN ELECTION RELATED VIOLENCE IN ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE

            2 KILLED, 1 INJURED IN ELECTION RELATED VIOLENCE IN ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE

La Libertad, Zambaonga Del Norte – a security escort of the incumbent mayor of La Libertad, Zamboanga Del Norte dies in a shooting incident Monday morning. In a report from the COMELEC in Zamboanga Del Norte the victim was identified as Joel Jimenez, 34 years old, casual employee of the local government of La Libertad.

Reports indicate that the victim was buying motorcycle spare parts when suspects, apparently riding in tandem approached and fired shots without provocation. The suspects escape leaving the dead body of the victim. In a hot pursuit operation one of the suspects were apprehended in Barangay New Dapitan, while holding a minor hostage. Firefighting ensued with the hostage victim successfully rescued but leaving the suspect dead. One other suspect is still at large.

Investigation is still being conducted. (Dxno Basilan)

PATTERN REVEALS MEDIA KILLINGS ARE PART OF A GOV'T PROGRAM

                           Pattern reveals media killings are part of a gov’t program

THE NATIONAL Union of journalists of the Philippines has always said that we see no pattern leading to conclude that the continuing murder of journalists in the country is part of the official government program – unlike, as many experts have noted, the extrajudicial killings of activists and dissenters.

However, recent events may have made us reconsider this view.

We have had military officers, angered that lies about the atrocities against the lumad were being exposed; mounting a brazen, if amateurish, smear campaign against our former chair Inday Espina – Varona, accusing her of being in cahoots with communist rebels. Though this is baseless, we all know the deadly implications such Red-tagging can mean for its targets.

And then we have a Magahat militia which threatened to ambush journalists covering the 47the anniversary of Communist Party of the Philippines because such coverage showed these journalists to be rebel sympathizers. No less than Surigao Del Sur Gov. Johnny Pimentel has described Magahat as a “monster” created by the military. Worse the one, who reportedly issued this threat, Bobby Tejero, has been ordered arrested by the courts for the murder o a tribal school administrator and two Manobo leaders. Yet, going by the accounts of Surigao Del Sur officials and residents, Tejero continues to sow terror in the province and surprise! – continues to operate with the military.

That Tejero has failed to carry out his threat does not diminish the fact that he can openly issue such threats without any fear of being hauled to court because he apparently enjoys the protection of those whose task is to bring him before the bar of justice.

, Then the day after Christmas. An ABS CBN news team, led by the chair of our Iligan chapter, was tailed and fired on by motorcycle-riding gunmen in broad daylight in the heart of Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur. Thankfully, none of them was hurt.

While the Marawi ambush may, on the surface, have nothing to do with the military and Malahat threats, as we have said time and again, government inaction on – or more aptly, apathy toward- the killing of journalists and President Aquino’s well-document penchant for blaming media for most everything wrong with his administration, can only serve to embolden those who wish to silence us. Indeed, a broad daylight attack on the clearly marked news vehicle in the heart of a major city is as bold as its gets.

Of course, we do not expect government to admit any link to these openly announced threats from the military and the Magahat, just as the military insists it has nothing to do with the Magahat and other militias wreaking havoc among Lumad communities; or for the matter, with the unabated murders of activists, farmers, religious leaders and countless other propeople advocates. But in silence in the face of these brazen flouting of our laws and democratic processes damns it as surely as if it had given its blessings.

As he winds down his term, Mr. Aquino has been big lately on legacy. Yes, we will indeed long remember his presidency as one of the bloodiest for Philippine journalism and for its attempts to undermine free press and free expression.

On the 170 media killings since 1986, 30 took place during the Aquino administration. This year alone, we lost six colleaques- Maurito Lim (bohol), Melinda “Mae” Magsino (Batangas), Gregorio Ybanes (Davao Del Norte), Teodoro Escanilla (Sorsogon), Cosme Maestrado (misamis Oriental) and Jose Bernardo (Quezon City).

Let us not forget the single deadliest attack on press freedom in the world when 58 innocent people, including 32 journalists and media workers, were massacred in Ampatuan, Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009, whose resolution still appears, after six years, light years away – with one of the principal accused out on bail and on the verge of being elected mayor to boot, no thanks to the government’s broken promise of a speedy judgment.

All these are grim remainders of the culture of impunity that reigns in the Philippines, where masterminds in the killing of journalists and other civilians go scot-free and remain unpunished, and even run for public offices; and murders issue open threats to members of the Fourth Estate.

The Philippines may have been dropped from international media group’s lists of the most dangerous countries’ for journalists in the world, but this does not diminish the fact and reality that journalists in this country are increasing getting threats from state and nonstate actors.

Not helping any bit are the media owners who have affected record-high mass layoffs and job cuts this year. This has affected not only local journalists and media workers but also communities already facing a future without a freedom of information law, no thanks again to the six-year-old failed promise of a leader and his legislative minions to pass it.

Thus, it is with trepidation that we welcome the New Year, especially as the election season heats up.

We urge all Filipino journalists to remain vigilant against threats and attacks while doing their job, as we also challenge them to unite and defend press freedom at all costs.

                                                                                                                                  -NUJP NATIONAL DIRECTORATE

“DEPEND press freedom,” a call that journalists have ground to believe is not sincerely heeded by the Aquino administration.

WHAT’S POLITICS AND HOW SHOULD POLITICIAN BEHAVE?

WHAT’S POLITICS AND HOW SHOULD POLITICIAN BEHAVE?

           Simply, any dictionary defines the word “politics” as the science or the art of government. Also, simpler, it means it is the art showing has the affairs of the citizens should be run by those elected and appointed to stand for the people in society. In fact the word “politics” is derived from the Greek “polities” which means   “citizens”.

           If politics then is an art (how to run a government), it has to its main objective to see to it that those freely chosen by the people in an election or those appointed by good lawful authorities have the obligation or the mandate from God, The Author of Order, in running to governed or the citizens, in ways that are for the common good nothing more.

           Politics then is God’s special gift to us so that by it those leaders (elected and appointed) are duty bound to behave as God’s servants to guide, lead and bring their constituents to fulfill their tasks as God’s people.

           Since the elected and appointed leaders are paid by the people’s money, they (the leaders or official of the government) have to perform their tasks, to respond conscientiously to the people’s needs: socio-economic, political, educational, religious, scientific, public order, etc.

           In this context, the politicians who become leaders are expected to behave as the peoples’ servants. With this idea in their minds, they are guided to use their right reason, judgment, conscience in order to fulfill their God-given tasks to meet the needs of God’s people.

           So, the leaders in government are the people servant’s too. PNOY is right to say to us “Kayo ang Boss ko”. Not a joke, but a serious statement. No wonder wise men described the word government as “of the people, by the people and for the people”. Indeed, it is!

           But sad to say, politics today has been desecrated by those politicians whose ambitions are self-serving or leaning towards gaining prestige, honor, fame, power and material wealth!  Some writers and political analysts call it; politics now has become a business for most politicians if not all.

           The government described as “of the people by the people and for the people” has now been distorted! Nationalist Filipinos say of the government as “off the people, buy the people and poor the people”

          Is this the result of massive corruption by leaders in government? Where those (from top to bottom and rank and files) who promise to serve the people have instead duped or fooled the governed because they (the leaders) just made “lip service”. But in reality, they use their power, money and influence to buy and to poor the governed by not fulfilling their promise to serve the people but to earn more by corrupting people’s money and lives!

           As a result, politicians who have corrupted the meaning of politics by being self-serving or selfish those governed have become poor economically, educationally, socially, politically, culturally, etc.

           When Pope Francis came to our country on January 15-19, 2015, he found out that the main reason why the Filipinos are poor is the corruption of leaders in government! With our “political dynasties” in the country, only 10% of them out of 104,000,000 Filipinos have the nerve to wallow in their wealth. But the 90% suffer poverty: Malnutrition and hunger! With the shrink of the peso and the float of the dollar (one dollar to 47PESOS), the exchange rate now, OUR SITUATION WORSES!

           With the elections coming (just more than 4 months away) the “political dynasties” will have again their hocus focus that by all means they must all win! Their ambition for greed of power, influence and money must stay. Or else they cannot have a grip of the nationalist ambitions to reject the status quo.

           How strong and effective our government must be depends on how much political will do our leaders especially those in the national level exercise to respond to the common good, to lessen if not to eliminate poverty. This is the reality of the present system how to govern the 104,000,000 Filipinos! Your be the judge of your decision in 2016.  By:  Abs Damahan and Prof. Rose A. Barrera

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 Note: This Blog to be continued and Audio interviewed will be aired in our live broadcast programs Radyo ALERTO - GENSAN

      

NOTICE OF POWER INTERRUPTION JANUARY 9, 2016

NOTICE OF POWER INTERRUPTION

JANUARY 9, 2016

SOCOTECO II respectfully informs the SCHEDULED POWER INTERRUPTION on JANUARY 9, 2016, affecting the following areas:

JAN. 9, 2016 (Saturday)

8AM-4PM (8hrs)

BRGY. MALANDAG TO BRGY. MIASONG

Relocation of poles due to road widening projects from Atla-e Junction to Datal Tampal, Malungon

For other inquiries, please call 553-5848 to 50 or text 09177205365.

Approved for Release:

GERONIMO C. DESESTO                                                        JANUARY 16, 2015

SOCOTECO II ISD Manager                                                    Tel. 553-5848 to 50 Local 133