DAVAO AND GENSAN: Tale of the two cities-

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – A partnership is brewing between two of Mindanao’s premiere cities.

           This development has now grown into possibility as Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City and Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera of Gensan City finally met on January 16 at Phela Grande Convention Center during the induction of the new officials of Junior Chamber International Philippines.

          The event was graced by Duterte as he was the delegated inducting officer chosen by the organization.

          But apparently, the main highlight was the crossing of paths of Duterte and Rivera- both local chief executives of two of the most highly urbanized cities in Mindanao.

           It was an opportunity that was seized by Mayor Rivera of Gensan as he was seeking strategies and advice on how to efficiently serve the people- from a “tested and proven” Duterte of Davao City.

           “Duterte has much experience in running in the local government. He made Davao as one of the progressive cities in the country. And it is very visible that his people is happy about it,” Rivera said.

           During a conversation, Rivera also mentioned the first time he met Duterte.

           “I first met Duterte when I was still in the private sector. The two of us are motorbike enthusiasts, so one time, when he had a leg in Davao, I got the opportunity to meet him,” Rivera narrated.

           “Years after, I am a public official already. Things are different. But I still look up to him because I want to make Gensan as progressive and safe as Davao.

           Mayor Duterte affirmed the statements of Rivera, and cited the promise that Gensan holds.

          “Gensan is a beautiful place. Your roads are wide. You have many resources There’s a lot of things that can be done here.” Duterte said.

           “You can’t see anything like these even in Cagayan, Zamboanga. Even in Davao, our streets are clogged already.”

          The Mayor of Davao also mentioned that the key into running the government efficiently are heart and decisiveness.

           He also noted that there’s nothing instant in growing a city.

             But he gave an exemption to the statement, affirming drugs and corruption should be eradicated fast.

          “If I will become the president, I will end drugs and corruption. Six months should be long enough. And if I can’t do it, then choose another to replace me,” Duterte said.

          Davao and Gensan are two neighboring cities in Mindanao. Both are accessed through the Asian Highway 26 (AH26).

         Davao boasts its strong economy coming from real estates, BPO’s, industrial services, and other diverse commercial activities.

          The city also a hotspot for tourism because of developed suburban destinations.

         On the other hand, Gensan is a becoming the agro-industrial hub of the SOCKSARGEN region. Due to its complete transportation platforms via land, sea, or air.

          Tuna and fishing Industry is still steady in the city, albeit to the global challenges it is facing.

         Business also started to flock to Gensan when Rivera entered in 2010.

          This is proven by the 300% growth of MSMEs roughly from 1,000 to 8,000.

          Trade, business and food and agriculture could blossom in the southern Mindanao if the two cities would work hand-in-hand.

           Duterte became the Mayor of Davao in 1987 and got a short stint of being a congressman.

          Rivera, on the other hand, became the mayor of Gensan in 2013, after ending the 27-year.

 political reign of Achievement Integrity Movement. (AIM)--- Local counterpart of the liberal Party (LP)

          The mothers of these two mayors are both teachers.

          They also show enthusiasm in motor biking (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John Lagare).

        

   

                  

IN GENERAL SANTOS CITY - POLICE TO CATCHE SMOKING VIOLATORS

           GENERAL SANTOC ITY – Police personnel in the city are now ready to catch anyone who are smoking in restricted premises.

           A deputation order coming from City Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera was received by General Santos City Police officer (GSCPO) director Maximo Layugan on Wednesday (January 20,) which authorizes the police to fully implement the Anti-Smoking Ordinance.

           The Anti-Smoking Ordinance (Ordinance no. 6 Series of 2015) was enacted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod-under the directive of Mayor Rivera-to make Gensan a non-smoking city.

           “I want to make Gensan a non-smoking city, I even stopped smoking for this.” said Mayor Rivera. “Of course, I want a strict implementation on this. That’s why we have the police.”

           For individual who will be caught for the first time, a fine of P1,000 will be charged to them. The maximum fine an individual can incur is P3,000.

           Business establishments in the city are also included in this ordinance. Smoking in their Non-smoking areas are fineable of P1,000 up to P5,000.

           However, these business establishments may designate a smoking area in their premises. The barangay treasuries will collect the fines coming from the violators. Those that cannot pay will be subjected to police inquest.

           Police city director Layugan pledged that the GCSPO will be the city’s partner on enforcing the said ordinance.

           The anti-Smoking Ordinance of Gensan is not limited in apprehending smokers.

           In the Ordinance, an individual is not also allowed to smoke electronic cigarettes (vapes) and shisha in public places.

           Public places, as defined by the ordinance, is any form of public conveyances, accommodation and entertainment establishments, public offices and buildings, School Campuses both public outdoor spaces, workplaces and government-owned vehicles except in the duly designated smoking areas within the territorial jurisdiction of General Santos City.

           Selling cigarettes, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and sisha to minors are also prohibited by the ordinance.

           An Anti-Smoking Task Force was also created to promote awareness for the said ordinance will be implemented and enforced.

            According to the department of health (DOH), smoking kills 10 Filipinos per hour. Aside from the smoking is also attributed to several fatal diseases such as Cancer and tuberculosis.

          Rivera said that the facts alone should serve as an encouragement to stop smoking already.

          “I know dangerous smoking is because I was a heavy smoker myself. When I stopped, the withdrawal symptoms almost made me sick for a month” he added.

           “I decided to quit because I think of my family, malulungkot sila Kung may mangyari sa akin dahil sa paninigarilyo.” (They will be sad if there is something that will happen to me because of smoking)

          “And of course I cannot perform my job well as the city mayor if I am sick always”, the mayor emphasized.

          The Anti-Smoking ordinance of Gensan is somehow patterned after the anti-smoking ordinance of Davao City (Gensan CPIO/Ian John Lagare)

NGCP transmission pole burned in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao;

Power restored to Cotabato City and MAGELCO this morning

NGCP’s Sultan Kudarat Substation – Cotabato City – Datu Saudi Ampatuan 69-KV  line tripped on 22 January at 10:57PM because of a burned transmission pole in Salimbao, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. Initial findings indicate sabotage.

Power to Cotabato City was restored at 1:39AM and to MAGELCO areas at 7:14AM today, 23 January. NGCP completed the necessary repairs at 1: 54PM today with the installation of a modified lightweight tower.

NGCP is doing all it can to ensure continued, uninterrupted power transmission services all over the country.

However, power interruptions caused by force majeure events like sabotage and tower bombings, are beyond our control.

We are appealing to the national government, the local government units, law enforcement agencies like the PNP and the AFP, as well as to the local communities and their leaders, to help us secure our transmission lines to prevent such power interruptions.By: Bambie Capulong and Gemma Roda

EXPECT LOWER POWER RATES IN GENSAN, SARANGANI, COTABATO

GENERERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) – Power rates in this city and parts of Sarangani and South Cotabato provinces will be reduced by around P3 per kilowatt-hour (kwh) once the 105-mega-watt (MW) coal-fired power plant of the Sarangani Energy Corp. (SEC) starts commercial operations in March.

           Ferdinand Corales, SEC project manager, said Monday their projections showed that the area’s power rates will drop to around P5 per kwh, with the streaming of its power supplies to local distribution utility South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II).

           In 2015, the average power rate passed on by Socoteco II to local consumers reached P8.35 per kwh, which included the costs of charges for transmission, distribution and other components.

           “The cost of electricity here will be significantly reduced, although the final rate will still be determined by the Energy Regulatory Commission,” he said in a statement.

           SEC started last week the synchronization of its 105-MW power plant in Barangay Kamanga in Maasim, Sarangani with Socoteco II and the Mindanao Grid.

           The synchronization, which will last until the end of the month, is part of the plant’s load and reliability tests, in preparation for its targeted commercial operations by March.

           The electric cooperative had signed a power sales agreement with SEC for the provision of 70 MW of base load to its service area.

           Sococteco II, which has a peak demand of 130 MW, serves this city and parts of South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces.

           Crisanto "Bong" Sotelo, Socoteco II acting general manager, acknowledged that the area’s power rates are currently considered relatively higher than those with other localities.

          He said this was largely due to their dependence on contracted power producers operate using diesel. Diesel is much more expensive compared to coal,” Sotelo said.

ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY town mayor killed, 3 wounded

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Tungawan Mayor Randy Climaco was killed an ambush in his town in Zamboanga Sibugay on Monday afternoon.

           Zamboanga Sibugay governor Wilter Palma confirmed the death of Climaco, who was ambushed while he and his team were on their way to the village Bantungan, also in Tungawan.

           “It was shocking, It bothers us. Who will be the next? Palma told to the Daily Philippine Inquirer by phone.

           Vice Mayor Raup Arbirson and two others were wounded in the 4 pm attack.

           Palma said he has directed the police to go after the suspects.

           The governor said Climaco was serving his last term as Tungawan mayor,

           “I didn’t know if he was able to file his certificate of candidacy for another position,” the governor said. (SFM)

           

TAWI-TAWI TOURISTS SPENT CLOSE TO P1 BILLION AS NUMBER INCREASED BY OVER 14% LAST YEAR

           Cotabato City (January 13, 2016) – Tourists arriving in 2015 in the island province of Tawi-Tawi spent close to P1 billion. The Tourism department in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOT-ARMM), recorded a total of 55,085 foreign and domestic visitors in the province, a 14.3% increase in number from 2014, while posting P965 million in gross tourism receipts.

           Over 48,189 tourists came to the province for holiday or business purposes. Tawi-Tawi is the southernmost province in the country and covers small islands in the Sulu Sea and to the northwest. the Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi Island and Turtle Island.

          To connect Tawi-tawi”s island and urban areas, the ARMM government is building more roads in the province. For instance, ARMM’s Public Works and Highways (DPWH-ARMM) has earmarked P55 million for the construction and development of Tawi-Tawi’s famous peak, Bud Bongao.

           Tourism projects in Bud Bongao include a multipurpose hall, a view deck, a station point, a concrete pathway, a parking area, a billboard. After the development of Bud Bongao, tourist arrivals and gross receipts in Tawi-Tawi, will further increase,” said Eng. Marites Maguindra, ARMM’s Tourism Department (DOT-ARMM) secretary.

          Sec. Maguindra said DOT-ARMM will develop ecotourism packages in Tawi-tawi and some of the activities to be promoted are scuba diving, island hopping and visits to local communities.

          Among the province’s major tourist sites are the Panamangan Island, the white beaches in the municipalities of Sapa-sapa and Sanga-sanga Island and Turtle Island.

           Meanwhile, official figures from ARMM’s Tourism department showed a total of 192,307 visitors in 2015 with P3.4 billion in gross receipts of P2.9 billion. The figures showed a significant increase of 14.3% in tourist arrivals and 17.2% in gross receipts.

           Based on the Regional tourism departmant’s annual report, much of the increase came during the last quarter of the year especially during the Agal-Agal Festival and Skeikh  Kanimul Makhdum. The region is composed of the mainland provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi.

           The estimated gross receipts from tourism in the region were generated from cultural and nature, sun and beach, diving and marine sports and other relevant events. The achievement is because of the beautiful beaches, screnic spots and the improved security measures in the region: Sec Maguindra said.

           Engr. Don Mustapha Loong, DPWH-ARMM Secretary, said his office is providing assistance to the tourism industry with the construction of access roads to various sites in the region. To strengthen tourism linkages, the DOT-ARMM gathered hundreds of tourism officers and industry players across the region for a tourism assembly held last year.

           “It’s more fun in ARMM, so tayo mismo ang dapat maunang magdevelop nito dahil tayo lang sa ARMM ang makakapagsabi nito (It’s more fun in ARMM thus, we should be the first ones to develop this since we are the one who know this well),” Sec. Maguindra said.

   

           “With all the efforts of the ARMM government, we are confident that we will exceed our tourism achievements this year,” added (Jun “Rashid” Castro)

KAARAWAN NG SULTAN KUDARAT GOBERNOR DATU SUHARTO T. MANGUDADATU DINAGSA NG IBA’T-IBANG LIDER AT GRUPO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY- January 17, 2016. – Dumagsa ang tinatayang daan-daang katao sa pribadong lugar sa bahagi ng Lungsod ng Koronadal upang batiin ang sinasabing ika 47 kaarawan ni Datu Suharto "Teng"T. Mangudadatu, Al Hajj Ph.D  gobernor ng Sultan Kudarat, na todo suporta naman ang Amang si Sultan Pax S. Mangudadatu, ang Congressman na si Datu Raden Sakaluran, Mayor Bai Merriam Sangki Mamgudadatu at mga anak nito at si Mayor Bai Ruth Mangudadatu Sakaluran at ang anak nitong si princess. Kasama din ang mga Mayor ng iba-ibang munisipyo at mga Kapitan ng mga iba’t barangay ng Sultan Kudarat.

           Tinuran ng gobernor ang walang humpay na pasasalamat sa lahat ng dumalo kasunod ng paghayag nito na sa loob ng nagdaang dalawang taong nakalipas ay hindi niya nagawang magkaroon ng kahalintulad na pagtitipun-tipon dahil sa pagyao ng pinakamamahal nitong ina na si Bai Chionghai Mangudadatu.

           

Masayang nakihalubilo ang gobernor kasama ang mga mag-anak nito sa mga dumalong panauhin na nagtagal hanggang sa dakong gabi nitong ika 17 ng Enero 2016. (Gemma Roda)