Elago says probe on barrio captain cases will continue

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -Notwithstanding its defeat by a technicality, the city council Committee on Good Government will continue its investigation against alleged anomaly in the barangay government of Talon Talon.

City Councilor Juan Kim Elago said that there is the possibility that the guilty person will be terminated from the service if found guilty of grave misconduct  and dishonesty,”.

Elago said that while   the motion  to suspend on a “preventive suspension “ for a period  of 60 days  to Talon Talon Barangay Chairman  Teodiver Arquiza was defeated by a minority number at the city council, the Committee on Good Government will continue .

Elago  voted in favor of a move to suspend a but was outvoted by others in the city council.

Elago said that there really is a case and appealed to fellow councilors to follow  due process  as the recommendation of the Committee on Good Government  for a  preventive suspension is not yet the verdict.

He said that councilors should not allow themselves to be emotionally be involved in the case.

 “Numa tiene emotion , sigi conel ley, “Elago  said .

According to Elago,  the decision of the members of the council  as to whether they are in favor or not or abstained  is  “their own decision and they are responsible and answerable to the public  for that matter .”

Elago further  appeals to his colleagues    to observe “good governance  “  and not to put mal-practices  that if there is   graft and corruption  involving sum of money – there must be “transparency .”

“Dale kita  mira que el consejo  hende  emocional siendo kwanto del  maga consehales   ya keda  tamen un capitan y kagawads  na diila barangay, “

Elago said .

“That’s the reason  y pesao para man suspend – grande  efecto, “ Elago added

 (Letty M. Militante ) (112814)

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Seven councilors outvoted by six in move to suspend barrio official

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -Strange as it may seem, majority was not the rule when the councilors voted on a proposed resolution to impose a preventive suspension order on a barangay official of Talon Talon whose case was brought to the City Council Committee on Good Government.

 “I am mandated to perform  my job’” Councilor  Melchor “Mel” Saddain said.

Saddain  who chairs  the Committee on Good Government  together with four (4)  other members  said that , they failed to get the majority of vote of eight  (8) .

How did this happened and where did the “majority rule” characteristics of democratic institution came into play in the case?

The councilors who voted in favor  for a “preventive suspension “  were  Councilors  Rommel, Agan, Myra Paz Abubbakar ,  Juan Kim Elago,  Jawo Jimenez,  Ismael Musa, Percival Ramos  and   Mel Saddain.

They made up a total of seven votes.

Those who voted against the “preventive suspension” were Councilors  Vincent Paul Elago , Charlie Mariano , Roel Natividad, Jerry Perez, Eddie Saavedra  and Rudy Bayot .

They made up a total of six votes.

It appeared that under the city council rule for a majority of the 16 member city council, the votes should have at least reached  8 votes as a majority to carry a resolution or a decision.

Councilor Noning Biel  abstained  while three (3) others,  Councilors  Gerky Valesco, VG Guingona and Mike Alavar were absent on official travel.

Sadain said that  it his job though it is  hard and or difficult  but it is  part of the procedural process  based on documentary  evidence  and witnesses resistance .

“Duele man , trabaho lang, “ Sadain said .

As this developed, Sadain said he will still respect the decision  of the members of the City Council .

The committee  on Good Government chairs by Saddain included  Co-Chairman Charlie Mariano with members , Councilor Myra Paz Abubakar , Councilor Percival Ramos and Councilor VG Guingona  whom  only three signed for the recommendation.

Only three councilors signed the recommendation, namely Ramos,  , Guingona  and Sadain and who opted to  present the preventive suspension resolution  so as not to influence   the testimonies of the witnesses  and for the committee to  be able to get hold  of the original documents  in the course of their  investigation .

Councilor Charlie  Mariano and  Myra Paz Abubakar were out  for travel at the time  to sign the recommendation for a  preventive suspension .

Saddain added that the committee is saddled with two complaitns.

The first case has 17 complainants wjhile the second case has only three complainants.

Saddain said that  actually  the committee already received the referral coming from  the Ombudsman  which then  has referred to the councilor  committee .

“We are  just waiting  the answers from the respondents.  “Sadain  said .

The time frame for the respondents to answer  summon  on  the case filed against them is good for fifteen days upon received thereof. (Letty M. Militante) (112814)  

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Mayor orders police crackdown Against motorcycle drag racers

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -Police authorities Sunday dawn impounded 9 motorcycles and a luxury vehicle and their drivers issued with citation tickets and temporary operator’s permits (TOPS) for alleged involvement in the illegal drag racing activity in major streets downtown.

This, as Mayor Beng Climaco ordered an intensified drive against drag racers due to persisting complaints concerning the illegal activity. Areas specified in the complaints include Veterans Avenue near the vicinity of the Zamboanga Doctor’s Hospital and San Jose Gusu.

Public Safety Company Commander PSupt. Ariel Huesca said discreet mobile patrols conducted by his team along Veterans Avenue between 1am-3:30am Sunday (Nov. 23) yielded 9 motorcycles and a Nissan Terrano, the driver of which was suspected to be one of the bettors in the said race. In addition, the PSC team issued 12 citation tickets and 2 TOPs.7 of the nine motorcycles were involved in drag racing.

Mayor Climaco said the campaign against drag racers should be unrelenting given the hazards it pose not only to the people involved in the activity but also to other motorists.

In his report to Mayor Climaco, Huesca said his men, for several times, engaged the drag racers in a chasing incident from Veterans Avenue to Tetuan and the adjacent streets but would not pin down the daring culprits as they might be involved in an accident.

On numerous occasions, last Sunday, the drag racers came close to hitting the islands and posts in the Sta. Cruz area due as they are being chased. They would not also stop even if chasing policemen were able to get hold of the motorcycle’s rear angle guard, according to Huesca.

In the last 4 months, two drag racers ended up in the intensive care unit due to a chasing incident with Huesca’s team during anti-drag race operations in San Jose Gusu and Nunez extension.

Most if not all of the drag racers are teen-agers and young adults. They usually strike past midnight, when policemen are out of the streets. With the engines of their modified motorcycle units revving, they square off in streets for as fast as 12 seconds, amidst bettors and spectators.

Huesca assured that the crackdown against drag racing will be a continuing activity stressing that City Police Director Col. Angelito Casimiro has instructed the PSC to focus operations on drag racing activities.

Meanwhile, Huesca clarified that people involved in drag racing cannot be apprehended as it is merely a traffic violation and is sanctioned by administrative fines under Republic Act 4136. However, if they are caught in the act of betting, people can be arrested for violation of anti-gambling law. On the other hand, offenders who engage policemen in a chasing incident, if collared, can be charged for disobedience to a lawful order or agent or person in authority. (Sheila Covarrubias)  (112814)

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Anti-jay walking drive steps up

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) City Administrator Antonio Orendain, Jr. said the anti-jay campaign which started Monday has been gaining success as most people are learning to use the pedestrian lanes when crossing the streets downtown.

Orendain explained that the campaign was not intended to make money for the city government, but to educate the people, especially the young ones, in observing traffic and pedestrian rules and regulations.

He said the anti-jay walking campaign was prescribed in the ordinance, thus there was no need for the city government or the police to inform the public before its implementation.

The city administrator, however, admitted the city government did not religiously implement the ordinance because it was observing that most of the people downtown are using the pedestrian lanes when crossing the streets.

“We observed that at least 80% to 85% of the people downtown are using the pedestrian lanes, so we did not implement the ordinance for so long as there was no immediate need for it. We concentrated on another work,” Orendain explained.

He said an average of 120 violators is apprehended every day since Monday, and most of them are students and transients who were not aware of the anti-jay walking ordinance. “Those who really are from the city observe the jay-walking.”

“We are also doing this so that when people go to big cities like Manila and Cebu they will no longer be apprehended there for jay walking,” Orendain said.

He advanced the information though that the anti-jay walking campaign cannot be sustained because there are other things or work that the police and city personnel will have to do. “So, we are appealing to our people to make it a habit to use the pedestrian lanes with or without apprehension.”

Violators are asked to do community services for at least one hour or pay a fine of P100 each. (Vic Larato) (112814)

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City gov’t sees delay in Dec. 15 deadline for full transfer of IDPs

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) Following questions posed on the quality of housing units for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) resulting from the September 2013 siege, Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said their transfer to transitory shelters will go beyond the Dec. 15 deadline.

“It would be quite considerable to be slow in the construction as long as the housing units are of good quality than to rush things up just to meet the deadline and end up compromising the quality of the shelters,” Climaco explained adding “the city cannot meet the Dec. 15 deadline to move all IDPs out of the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex.”

“We can be slow as long as we are sure that the housing units we will give to the IDPs are of good quality. We have to make sure of quality more than meeting the deadline,” She pointed out.

Mayor Climaco said, of the 2,086 IDPs still occupying the grandstand since last year, the most that the city can do is to move out 380 families on or before the December 15 deadline.

The Mayor even expressed her desire of having permanent shelters already constructed for the remaining IDPs at the grandstand rather than spend money for temporary shelters then later to permanent homes.

“We want to relieve the IDPs with the burden of transferring from grandstand to temporary shelters then to their permanent homes,” Mayor Climaco said. 

It can be recalled, the national government has set Dec. 15, 2014 as the deadline for the clearing of the grandstand and full transfer of IDPs. By Jocelyn P. Alvarez  ( PIA IX) (112514)

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Right of Way owners OK sale of lots for Camins-Ramos road

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  At  least 50 lot owners possessing properties along the propoed road from Governor Camins to Gov. Ramos passing through Centro Pastoral have agreed to the sale of these properties to the city government.

City Engineer Luis Vicente  Despalo said these lot owners have already met with the mayor and other local officials to settle the right of way problems.

The 50’s lot owners  have already given  their  approval   with the road opening wherein payments for that lots is now at the office of the City Legal Office .

Despalo  said that as soon as everything is set particularly the payments for the lot owners affected , the office will immediately  implement the project for opening of the  road.

The project is expected to be completed in a  a year’s time.

Despalo said that   under the plan  for the road opening , it will have a width of 20 meters  and will stretch fro 1.2 kilometers from both ends at Camins and Ramos avenues. (Letty Militante) (112514)

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Now it’s Final: Chavacano must be spelled with a “V”

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The following is the full text of what agreed among educators after the  three-day Chavacano Orthography Congress was held  Nov 19-21. The first  two days included presentation by researchers on Chavacano, mostly results from surveys conducted among selected respondents in the city.  On the third day  the newly organized Chavacano Orthography Council met language and Department of Education officials  and agreed on the following items: The items will form part of the guiding principles in the Chavacano Orthography that will be formulated and serve as the basis for preserving, propagating and development of the Chavacano in Zamboanga.

Summary of Points Agreed:

·        Etymological approach will be used for spelling of words. (This means that words of Spanish Origin should be spelled in Spanish and words from other dialects, that became a part of Chavacano, should be spelled in the particular local dialect of origin)

·        “Chavacano” must be spelled with “V”.

·        Alphabet that will be used consists of 5 vowels and 24 consonants. (refer to DepEd’s list)

·        Words whose etymology can be traced to an original dialect or language should be spelled and pronounced like the original

·         Coined words should be spelled as they are heard or pronounced.

6. Rules regarding accent of words:

·        Words that end in a vowel, n or s, have the stress on the penultimate (next to last) syllable. For example, toro, limonada, joven and zapatos. 

·        Words that end in other letters have the stress on the last syllable. For example, hotel, doctor ciudad, matador and virtud.

·        If a word isn't pronounced according to the above two rules, an accent is placed over the vowel of the syllable that gets the stress. For example, común, lápiz, inglés, and ojalá.

·        Written accents are also used to differentiate between words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings:

si - if
sí - yes

tu - your
tú – you

ole- to smell

olê- to repeat

  7.  When words are borrowed from other languages, rules used in the original languages must apply

·          Repeated words are hyphenated.  Example is “bira-bira”

·         Words should be spelled using English letter names.

·         Science and math retain their technical terms.  Example are photosynthesis, pi, square root, cosmos,

The congress was sponsored by the Office of the City Mayor and the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Language Department. The activity was led by Dr. Genaro Yap Aizon PhD, Executive Assistant on Education, Culture,  Arts and History.

The group will draft the Official Orthography of Chavacano in Zamboanga to be approved by the City Government and henceforth will guide the propagation, preservation and development of the Language. (ZNS)(112514)

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Beng sees anew delay in Z3R housing project

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  Mayor Beng Climaco has  admitted that the 2,086 internally displaced families occupying the grandstand since the September 2013 siege cannot be totally transferred to their temporary shelters on or before the Dec. 15 target date set by the national government.

Climaco said most that the city government can do is to move out only 380 families from the Zone C portion of the grandstand (facing WMSU main campus).

This, Climaco said, is another slowdown in as far as the Dec. 15 deadline to clear the grandstand of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and transfer them to temporary shelters.

The chief executive said she was toying with the idea having permanent shelters already constructed for the grandstand IDPs, instead for spending money for temporary shelters then later the permanent homes.

“We want to relieve the IDPs with the burden of transferring from the grandstand to the temporary shelters then to their permanent homes. This will take quite some time,” she told the press briefing in City Hall.

Climaco said to rush up the housing units for the sake of the deadline might compromise the quality of the shelters.

We can be slow as long we are sure that the housing units we will give to the IDPs are of good quality,” Climaco stressed, adding that she will not rely anymore on timelines. “We have to make sure of quality more than meeting the deadline,” she said.

Recall that the national government has targeted December 15 as the date for the clearing of the grandstand. (Vic Larato)(112514)

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City holds ‘Chavacano’ Orthography Congress

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  Language experts in Zamboanga have agreed on major rules in the development, preservation and propagation of Chavacano.

Meeting as the Chavacano Orthography Council (COC) at the Centro Latino last Friday, the council agreed and decided on several points that will be institutionalized in Zamboanga in the coming months and years.

Among their main agreements are :

·        Etymological approach will be used for spelling of words.

·        “Chavacano” must be spelled with “V”.

On the matter of spelling Chavacano words this means “that words of Spanish Origin should be spelled in Spanish and words from other dialects, that became a part of Chavacano, should be spelled in the particular local dialect of origin)

There is a growing controversy on how the word Chavacano should be spelled. The council members spent hours discussing the issue but eventually decided on a vote.

As a result, the word Chavacano should be spelled with the letter “V” and not “B” as practiced by some sectors.

In the case of the Department of Education, Language Supervisor Victoria Mangaser admitted that the department will have to change the spelling of Chavacano in their instructional materials.

Mangaser said that initially the department spelled Chavacano with a “V” but changed the spelling to “B”upon the urging of some officials.

“And now we will have to revert to our original spelling of Chavacano with a “V” she said.

DepEd English Supervisor Dr. Valeria Corteza was also there to assist in the discussion on the Chavacano Orthography.

Last week, the city government and the School of Arts and Sciences, Language Department of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU)  conducted the Chabacano Orthography Congress at Centro Latino, Paseo del Mar.

Leading the activity was Dr. Jose Genano Yap-Aizon, executive assistant to the mayor for Education, Culture, Arts and History, who welcomed the participants and explained the mechanics of the congress.

Dr. Shieldred Angeles of ADZU gave an overview of the Project and Methodology of Research, while Dr. Minda Santos, also of ADZU, discussed the “Chabacano in the Government Domain”.

Mayor Beng Climaco underscores anew the importance of conserving and preserving the chabacano language, as she formally opens the Chabacano Orthography Congress, jointly organized by the city government and the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Nov. 19.

Mayor Beng Climaco said the congress hoped to enrich the city’s creole Chabacano language in line with the local government’s sustained efforts to preserve the Spanish-derivative language.

She urged the participants to give their support to coming up with a Chavacano orthography or the method and style of speaking and writing the Chavacano words and the language itself.

For instance, she said, many are confused as to the correct spelling of the word “Chabacano” whether spelled with “b” or “v”. Thus, the need for the Chabacano orthography on rules of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, wordbreaks and emphasis, among others, in accordance with the accepted usage and practice.

“We have to come up with our own style and usage of our own language from rules of spelling, punctuation marks, capitalization and emphasis.”

As a creole language, the mayor said, Chavacano lends its roots with other languages. (Vic Larato)(112514)

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Suspension on Lustre housing project lifted, NHA, workers to comply with requirements

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  Work will resume in houses subject to questions on their suitability or stability and where work were ordered suspenfed last week.

The suspension in the construction of houses under the Z3R project in Lustre, Sta. Catalina has been lifted effective 1pm Wednesday, November 19, as the National Housing Authority (NHA) has committed to comply with the recommendations of the City Government.

Mayor Beng Climaco said the recommendations were results of the joint inspections done by the City Engineer’s Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator, NHA, the BillRay Construction Company and the Sta. Catalina barangay chair after it was discovered that the materials used in the construction of some Lustre Housing units were not within standards.

Foremost in the city’s recommendations are for the contractor through NHA to comply with the requirements for the issuance of appropriate permits for the project implementation and to retrofit the 51 units of houses based on the proposal made by the contractor on the condition that said contractor will submit an affidavit of undertaking that in the event there is a failure in retrofitting, he will be solely responsible for it.

The contractor through the NHA is also to reconstruct the housing units that were demolished to include those that were identified as beyond repair, appropriate plasterings to be done on the CHB walls to include field density testing on the soil bearing capacity, compliance to appropriate construction methods and section 705 national Structural Code of the Philippines series of 2010, soil compaction of the housing area and that construction materials used be of good quality and sourced from accredited suppliers.

Mayor Climaco met with NHA District Manager Engr. Al Indanan, CDRRMO in-charge Dr. Elmeir Apolinario and City Engineer Luis Despalo yesterday morning to discuss details prior to the lifting of the suspension order.

Recall that Mayor Climaco on November 2 has ordered the stop and review of the housing units in Lustre after she personally discovered the use of substandard construction materials. The subsequent suspension order was issued by the NHA, the implementing agency.

The chief executive assured that the local government will do everything it can to ensure compliance of all engineering standards for the best interest of the beneficiaries citing provisions in the Local Government code and the General Welfare Act.  ‘We cannot sacrifice quality with quantity.’

Engr. Indanan said except for the Lustre Z3R housing project, the other housing projects will be completed within the time frame set by the national government. (Sheila Covarrubias)

(112114)

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Traders asked to renew their business Permits before Jan. 20, 2015 deadline

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  City Permit and Licensing Division Chief Benjie Barredo has appealed to businesses to file or renews their business permits early for the year 2015  to avoid  rush hour .

His office has started to receive license papers for new or renewal purposes last November 03, 2014.

The deadline for the renewal of business permit  falls on every 20^th of January of each year.

Based on records, total  business permit approved for the year 2014 reached 9,128 as against 2013 of 8,248 or an increase of  880.

Barredo  said that while the deadline of business permit taxes  is every 20^th of January , the licensees can come to the office and  apply for the renewal of  2015 business permit   by  completing   the  requirements  as early as possible

“If they can come as early  to make  and complete the requirements so by January they will only pay the business taxes,” he said .

Barredo said that late payment of business taxes for the year 2015 will be charged 25 percent (25%)  for the first quarter while another 2 percent (2%)  charges  for   every month  there  after.

As off presstime, he said that out of  the total  business permit approved for 2014 of 9,128 ,   about a  minimum  of   five (5) applicants  came to the office per day  to renew the business permit .

“Poco lang maga sinco el dia “ he  said referring to those who came to renew their business permits these days . (Letty M. Militante) (111814)

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US official notes slow rehabilitation of ‘ground zero’ in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  American Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg has noted what could be said is the slow rehabilitation of victims of the September War in Zambaonga between rebels of the Moro National LIebration Front (MNLF) and government forces deployed in the city last year.

Ambassador Goldberg said that there are still a lot of things that can be done for the victims of the conflict.

Thousands of victims forced out of their homes in Rio Hondo, Mariki, Sta. Catalina, Sta. Barbara and Kasanyangan by virtue of a Forced Evacuation Ordinance amid the fighting have not been able to return to their homes.

For one reason or the other, those forced out of their homes have been prevented from returning or to reconstruct their homes.

The fighting that last for at least a month from Sept 9 has forced out of these areas some 150,000 men , women and children. They are now staying in makeshift homes in evaction centers in the city.

The fighting has also caused the burning of over 10,000 homes by arsonists and the looting of their homes by unidentified persons.

Until two months ago, the government has finished the construction of some 40 homes in Sta. Catalina.

The war victims are being houses in at least a hundred bumkhouses that will be abandoned or possibly destroyed when permanent homes will be constructed for them in what is called “ground zero.”

Incidentally, it was recently discovered that at lest 52 concrete houses being constructed at Sta. Catalino were found to be made of defective mateirls , particularly hollow blocks.

To this day, authorities cannot pinpoint the blame for the construction of these defective houses.

It has not been decided on what to do with these defective houses which could easily crumble considering the defective structures, as whether to repair the houses or rebuild these structures anew.

(111814)

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Mayor seeks installation of CCTVs for trading establishments in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  City Mayor Maria Isabel Climaco Salazar has recommended the installation of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) by businessmen in their premises to help combat crimes and identify criminals in the vicinity.

She said that businessmen themselves should shoulder the expenses for their CCTVs because the city government cannot provide them the equipment.

The City government  has so far installed over P20 million CCTVS , mostly at City Hall, the city council and streets.  Most of the CCTVs were installed at government offices and less than a dozen were placed in street corners or islands.

These CCTVs will be advantageous for the business establishments themselves and these can be deterrent to crimes.

There were no CCTV cameras in or outside establishments along Tomas Claudio Street where two homemade bombs exploded last Sunday evening. As a result there is no digital record of the explosion which could have helped the authorities identify the bombers or those who placed the bombs there.

There are also a number or crimes reported in business establishments that could have been recorded by the CTVS and help identify the culprits or criminals..

The city council has already submitted a draft of a proposed ordinance requiring the installation of CCTVs by the private sector. 

Five months have elapsed but there is no action yet by the concerned agency on this draft, according to City Councilor VP Elago . (ZNS) (111414)

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USAID highlights Zamboanga potential as economic engine

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-Invest is organizing a day-long Needs Assessment Workshop highlighting on the city’s potential as an economic engine in Mindanao and the Philippines.

The activity will be participated by players and stakeholders in the business and investment sectors. It is intended to “identify crucial needs and development challenges of the city vis-à-vis existing programs and projects of development partners and national government agencies.”

The workshop is part of USAID’s Cities Development Initiative (CDI) program which envisions to enhance development of identified cities as engines of growth that is inclusive and environmentally sustainable and resilient.

John Lawrence Avila, OEDG-USAID Project Management Specialist stressed that Zamboanga City’s participation in the CDI is being considered “given its potential as a driver of economic growth in the region and the country.”

Mayor Beng Climaco will give the welcome remarks and will also make a presentation on the city’s development plans and priorities during the workshop. Daniel Miller, USAID-Philippines Director will address the participants.

Other topics and the resource persons during the workshop are Zamboanga City’s role in the development of Zamboanga Peninsula to be presented by the NEDA-9 OIC Chief Eleanor Reyes, Results of Industry-Academe Workshop for Zamboanga City and an Overview of USAID’s Environment and Climate Change Program by Joseph Foltz, USAID-Deputy Director.

The workshop proper will cover four main issues: Infrastructure, Utilities and Transport with City Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Rodrigo Sicat as facilitator; Enabling Environment for Investment/ Cost of Doing Business with Business Permits and Licensing Officer Benjie Barredo as facilitator; Production Sectors and Potential Industries with City Investment Officer Marie Angelique Go as facilitator and Health to be facilitated by the USAID Office of Health. (Sheila Covarrubias) (111114)

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City gov’t to relocate Pasonanca fire victims

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The city government’s Housing and Land Management Division (HLMD) headed by Rodrigo Pagotaisidro has no other recourse but to relocate the 84 families whose houses were reduced to ashes by fire last Sept. 27 in Barangay Pasonanca, this city.

This developed after the landowner, Regina Centeno, refused either to sell the property to the city government or to allow the families to return because she will use the property.

The families are temporarily housed at Pasonanca Elementary School, for which the Department of Education’s Division Office has given the Barangay Council of Pasonanca until Nov.15 to clear the school of fire victims.

Thus, during the inter-agency meeting yesterday at Pasonanca Barangay Hall it was decided that the fire victims will have to be transferred to the government’s relocation sites.

Records from HLMD showed that of the 84 families left homeless by the fire, there were 324 individuals, of whom 54 were house owners, 28 house sharers and 1 renter.

The fire destroyed 50 houses.

Nonetheless, Pasonanca Barangay Chairman Jun Julian said he will still try to convince the landowner through her children to sell their property to the city government so that it can be developed into an urban poor subdivision and allow the fire victims to return.

But there was no assurance yet if it could be granted. In the meantime the fire victims have to be relocated as DepEd had requested that the school be cleared of evacuees on or before Nov. 15. (Vic Larato) (111114)

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Cong’l oversight committee disaster meets with CDRRM

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The Congressional Oversight Committee on Disaster headed by Muntinlupa Congressman Rodolfo Biazon met with Mayor Beng Climaco and the members of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council yesterday morning to make an assessment of how the government responds to both man-made and natural disasters.

Focus of the discussion was the Zamboanga siege and the status of the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R) projects.

Accompanying Biazon during the meeting were Congressmen Jose Christopher Belmonte of District 6, Quezon City; Cong. Francis Ashley Acedillo of Partylist Magdalo and Cong. Lilia Nuño.

“Your committee would like to make an assessment of the rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery. Recovery includes a lot of things especially the economic recovery,” Biazon said stressing that the committee was in the city to listen and to know what legislative response it can craft and put together in order to improve national response and the capability of the local government units to respond to natural and man-made disasters.

Biazon, a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines prior to becoming a senator and later congressman, believed unlike other disasters that happened in the country in 2013, the Zamboanga siege, a man-made disaster was something that could have been prevented.

“It is not the intention of the committee to make any investigation unless something that needs to be corrected will be brought up to the committee,” the Muntinlupa congressman said.

The meeting was highlighted by presentations on the progress of the Z3R projects and recovery efforts and the challenges besetting the different agencies in the implementation of the projects.

Mayor Climaco asked the Committee to help ask the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the remaining amount in the P3.5 billion funding for the Z3R before the end of 2014 and to call on the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) to download as soon as possible the P91 million as identified under the post conflict needs assessment.

The committee’s visit to the city was concluded with a visit to the Z3R project sites together with personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) and other agencies. (111114)

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City gov’t sets aside P1.5 M to decorate city for Christmas Day

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The city government will spend :1.5 million to decorate city hall, streets in time for the celebration of Chrsitmas next month.

The General Services Office will be the agency tasked to decorate the city’s urban areas.

GSO Engineer Rene dela Cruz said the amount will be used primarily to buy decorative lights and other materials to decorate the city.

Workers in his office are hurrying in the preparation of materials to be used to decorate the town because it is just over half a month to December.

He explained that there was a little delay in the preparation of the decorative materials because GSO workers were also tasked to prepare the Zamboecozone site for the 5-day Centennial Jamboree that started there  Saturday and will end this week.

For last year, the city government used P1.2 million but there was an increase of P300,000 in expenditures for this year.

The increase in the budget is due to the decision to purchase LED light instead of the standard bulbs.

LED or Light Emitting Diodes provide cool lights minus the heat because the light is produced by the diodes and not the standard wire filament that produces and emits heat.

The decorations will be concentrated at City Hall, Plaza Pershing and streets in the center of the city proper.

The color scheme for the decoration and blue and silver.

The Christmas season in this city will officially start first day of December with a program and the simultaneous lighting of lights at Plaza Pershing. (111114)

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NHA blacklists supplier of substandard hollow blocks

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The National Housing Authority (NHA) has blacklisted the suppler of what were called substandard hollow blocks for house being contstructed at Mariki and Lustre at Sta. Cataina barangays.

NHA dstrict Manager Engr. Al Indanan said contractors for the housing projects in these two barangays were already advised to stop purchasing hollowbocks from the supplier said to be from Ayala Barangay.

The hollow blocks supplied by the company at Ayala proved to be fragile and could easily crumble under pressure.

Indanan said the Office of the City Engineers has already started its investigation of the case.

He will also wait for the outcomes of this investigation.

Indanan also said that from hereon site engineers will be very particular in the quality of  materials used in the construction of these houses extended for the use of the victims of last years war in these barangays. (ZNS)

(111114)

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NDRRM looks into status of Rio-Hondo, Mariki areas

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management or NDRRM oversight committee in the House of Representatives will try to find a solution to the status of the land in what is called ground zero at Rio Hondo and its nearby barangays.

NDRRM Chairman Congressman Rodolfo Biazon said the government must reconcile the ownership of the lands in these barangays.

There exists several Prudential Decrees and Executive Orders that define the status of the area.

The official declarations cover the barrios of Rio Hondo and Mariki.

Biazon said the executive orders covering the status of these lands could be easily modified but in the case of any Presidential Decree this takes the nature of a Law that needs to be amended by Congresses and approved by the President.

There is said to exist a presidential decree that classifies these areas as resettlements sites for natives who settled there.

On the other hand, some people own titles to portions of the land.

The problem arises because the government plans to take over parts of the area for a military camp, for roads and other projects and land titles must be modified for the purpose.

The government has refused to allow residents to return to their homes or what remained of their homes or to construct houses in their former areas they used to occupy all these years.

Thousands of homes in the two barangays and in the barrios of Sta. Barbara, Sta. Catalina and Kasanyangan were destroyed by fires at the height of the rebel attack of these areas last year.

Local officials also want to apply to the area a so called “No Build Zone” which is a particular area from the shorelines as a deterrent against sea surges and the likes.

The homes there were not destroyed by tidal waves or storm surges but by fires that were not put out and left to burn out while fighting was going on in the area.

Apparently these “No Build Zones” does not apply to the adjacent Colleges, Paseo del Mar and other shoreline areas in the coastal lines of the city from Licomo to Limpapa.(ZNS)  (110714)

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City council gives SRPI full 3-6 months to construct 100mw coal-powered plant

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The city council has given the San Ramon Power Incorporated (SRPI) from 3 to six months within which to start construction of their 100MW coal-fired power plant at the Zamboanga Ecozone.

This “ultimatum” was issued Tuesday following a dialogue held at the city council with of the SRPI, the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative or Zamcelco.

Alter the dialogue, the councilors decided to refer the matter to the Committee of Energy and Public Utilities headed by Councilor Charlie Mariano.

Mariano said the committee decided to conduct periodic checkup with the status of the project.

He said they will require accomplishments reports from both SRPI and Zamcelco on the status of the project to keep the council updated with the development on the proposed power plant.

The report could be done every two weeks or twice a month Mariano said.

The city council wants that the SRPI should start work on the Project within 3 to six month.

Mariano said this deadline Hill be enough for the SRPI to start work on any physical aspect of the Project.

He warned that the city council could take drastic action against the Project.

On one hand, Mariano said the city council can recall its resolution of “No Objection” to the project approved by the city councilor three years ago, in favor of the Project.

The SRPI is expected to construct its 100MW coal fired powered plant within the Ecozone. Of this capacity, the SRPI has contracted to sell 85 MW for the power consumption of the city’s some 150,000 power consumers.

The SRPI has announced a budget of P12 billion for the Project that World take about three years to complete. Coal that will be used to fire the plant will be imported from Indonesia.(zns)  (110714)

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Work on 100MW coal-powered plant starts only after Zamcelco starts “enhancement”

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The San Ramon Power Incorporated (SRPI) will start work on its P12 Billion peso 100MW coal fired power plant only after the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative will start work on its P900 million enhancement project.

The SRPI wants to be sure that Zamcelco will be “viable” following its enhancement project and thus will be able to pay back part of the money invested in the plant by way of payment of power bills from energy generated in the plant.

Once operational, the SRPI will be  80%  dependent on the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) for its income and recover its investment of P12 billion in the Coal Fired Power plant to be established at the  Economic Zone and Free Port Authority or Ecozone .

This status of the project came to light during a dialogue held Tuesday at the City Council where officials of the SRPI and Zamcelco‘s General Manager were invited to shed light on the matter.

The city council wanted to find out when SRPI will start work on the project.

Joseph Nocuz of SRPI cannot give any exact date as to when they are going to start the project pending Zamcelco’s implementation of its enhancement project.

This enhancement project to cost some 900 million will include repair of power lines, connections, transformers and other electrical equipment of the cooperative.

The tentative date for the enhancement project is said to be March 2015.

Nocuz said that this enhancement program is to ensure the long term viability of their investment wherein the recovery is about 80 % dependent on Zamcelco’s ability to pay its bills.

On record, Nocuz said that Zamcelco needs about P 900 million bigger than what was earlier predicted by Zamcelco at P 700 million.

On the other hand Zamcelco General Manager George Ledesma does not agree on the P900 million enhancement cost.

To accept this figure would mean that mean that Zamcelco is not doing anything to enhance its viability.

“I don’t agree-accept the P900 million .It would mean we are not doing anything, “ Ledesma said .

Moreover, aside from the availability of Zamcelco to pay its bill ,  there is another problem over the 32 hectare site that will be used to construct the power plant.

The Department of Agrarian Reform and the Zamboanga Ecozone cannot agree on the status of the area to be used for the project.

Ecozone Chairman Christopher Arnuco said that all lands in the Ecozone are automatically converted from agricultural to industrial use.

On the other hand, the DAR said that conversion of the area for use of RCPI must pass through the process of conversion from agricultural to industrial.

 “We are Ecozone tenants. We rely on Ecozone, “ Nocuz said saying that  the two government agencies rely on  conflicting with  laws. 

DAR  can say that SRPI will violate the  Agrarian Reform  Law if it sets up its (industrial) facility on land that is still classified as agricultural.

Arnuco said that under the Ecozone Charter   R.A. No. 7903  that there is no need to convert the  lot from  Agricultural to Industrial as they have the  authority to declare the area from Agricultural to Industrial

However, Nocuz said  that it is a matter of compliance  with DAR.

As this developed,  there is no  clear result as  to when  SRPI  will implement the Coal Fired Power Plant at Ecozone .

At the same time, the business sector is complaining about their extra operating cost incurred with the reimposition of blackouts in the city.

The President of the Zamboanga City Chamber of Commerce Edwin To  told the city council that they have to operate generators during blackout.

A certain hospital that use to spend an average of P800,000 a month in electric bills must now spend over a million , because the generators must also be operated to provide electricity during blackouts.  (Letty M. Militante)  (110714)

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SRPI clarifies that it's Zamcelco deal is “Non-exclusive” but…

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative or Zamcelco  is free to enter into any other or another contract with  any other  power  suppliers in the country, according to an official of the San Ramon Power Incorporated “SRPI”.

This clarification was made by SRPI following reports that the Zamcelco cannot enter into any other power supply, like solar power, because its contract with SRPI.

This issue cropped up as some Zamcelco officials refused to entertain or consider offers for power by other entities.

Months ago, the president of a Solar Company offered to put up a power plant in this using solar heat to generate electricity.

The company said they will put up the solar power plants at their own expenses and sell electricity at cheaper rates to Zamcelco, on condition that Zamcelco provide them with the land where the plant will be set up.

A similar offer was said made to the city government, but some local elected officials nonchalantly ignored the offer.

This as, Mr.  Joseph Nocuz of  the SRPI said that the contract entered by and between Zamcelco and SRPI is  not “exclusive”.

“The answer is  no, Zamcelco is free  to  contract to anybody  else, “ Nocuz said .

Nocuz said that SRPI is not preventing Zamcelco  if they wanted to enter into another contract with any other  power agencies – suppliers.    

“There is nothing in the contract that prevents s Zamcelco  to enter  into contract  with other power agencies , “

At the city council, city legal officer ex Judge Jesus Carbon said that while the Zamcelco-SRPI contract is non-exclusive, it is binding on both parties.

(Letty  M. Militante )  (110714)

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