Zamboanga eyes P20 million take
In integrated bus terminal income
The IBT is located in Barangay Divisoria, 6.40 kilometers east of City Hall. It will cater to five bus firms serving this city to the nearby provinces and as far as Cagayan de Oro City.
Apolinario said the IBT, which is one of this city’s economic enterprises, will earn revenues through collections of terminal fee, parking fee and rentals of food concessionaires.
He said the terminal fee is PHP15 for adult and PHP10 for child. The parking fee is PHP75 for big buses and PHP50 for small buses.
The rental of food concessionaires ranges from PHP5,000 to PHP6,000 monthly. Soon, the 1.5-hectare vacant lot at the IBT will be leased out.
The other amenities of the IBT include five comfort stations; a breastfeeding room; a clinic; an administration office with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras; a scanner machine for security purposes; and, 19 stalls occupied by business concessionaires to cater to the needs of passengers.(ZNS)
Senatorial bet wants to pursue claims toSabah
A senatorial candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) led by the Binay-Honasan tandem stressed Muslims in thePhilippines
Princess Jaycel Kiram said this has prompted her to aspire for a seat in the Senate and if elected, she would want to pursue claims to Sabah which she said has been the cause of conflicts in Mindanao throughMalaysia
She believes all insurgent groups in Mindanao are being funded byMalaysia
with the end in view of prolonging the conflict and for the country to lose
focus in its claim to Sabah .
According to Kiram, until today,Malaysia
Kiram said no less than 72 billion dollars is the projected income of Sabah from oil, gas and other natural resources, and the sad part is that thePhilippines
With such a huge amount of income, the government ofMalaysia
If such claim is decided in favor of the country, no Filipino will live in hunger, she said, as this can subsidize the more than 100 Filipinos with one sack of rice monthly.
Kiram pointed out this is not a personal fight of the Sultanate of Sulu but for every Filipino to claim jurisdiction and ownership ofSabah .
She said she is saddened by the fact that thePhilippines ’
claim to Sabah has not been pursued. (PNA)
X x x
Two people
were killed while six others, including a policeman, were wounded in a shootout
in a “one-time-big-time (OTBT)” operation in the province of Zamboanga
Sibugay
At the same time, the police have arrested one person and seized seven high-powered firearms with ammunition during the operation.
Supt. William Gadayan, Zamboanga Sibugay Public Safety Company (PPSC) chief, said the OTBT operation was conducted around 3:50 a.m. Tuesday in Barangay Poblacion, Talusan municipality.
Talusan is one of the three municipalities inOlutanga
Island
Gadayan, who spearheaded the operation, said the shootout ensued after some of the subjects of the search warrants they served opened fire prompting the policemen to return fire.
Gadayan identified those killed in the shootout as Edris Mohammad, former barangay councilor of Poblacion, and Basilisa Llanos, who were among the subject of search warrants.
Gadayan identified the wounded policeman as PO2 Noriel Laureta, who is assigned with the PPSC.
The wounded civilians were identified as follows: Lydia Mohammad; Albaina Mohammad; Noriba Amsani; Kisma Mohammad; and Fatima Ayesha.
Gadayan said Kisma and Fatima are minors though he did not say their ages.
He said the seven high-powered that they recovered were Garand rifle; AK-47 rifle; M4 rifle; baby Armalite rifle; Carbine rifle; 12-guage shotgun; and, a caliber .45 pistol as well as were assorted ammunition.
The OTBT operation is a nationwide campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) against syndicated criminal gangs, wanted criminals and loose firearms.
The OTBT operation is part of the PNP’s “Operations Plan (OPLAN) Lambat Sibat", an anti-criminality campaign of the government. (PNA)
Pagadian City
Thousands of people witnessed the switch-on ceremony of the Christmas decorations on Tuesday night in Pagadian city’s Plaza Luz in front of City Hall.
At the same time, the “Christmas around the city contest” dubbed as Paskuhan 2015 kicked-off.
Gov. Antonio Cerilles congratulated the city officials for initiating the activity.
Mayor Romeo Pulmones said there will be nightly variety shows until New Year’s Eve for the entertainment of the public, including the visitors.
The Paskuhan 2015 kicked off with a program at 7 p.m. at the Taklobo Stage of Plaza Luz and was followed by a 15-minute fireworks display.
Among the Christmas decorations that were switched-on were the giant Christmas Tree at the Rotonda Hills, Christmas lights at the Plaza Luz and along this city streets.
The dancing fountain at the Plaza Luz was also the center of attraction during the program.
The participants of the Christmas around the city contest are the business establishments.
Eng’r. Nelly Sisona, Paskuhan 2015 committee chair, said the contest has four categories such as hotel and restaurant; department stores and shopping malls; gasoline stations; hardware and electrical supply stores; and, banks.
The prizes include PHP25,000, first prize; PHP15,000, second prize; and PHP10,000, third prize. (PNA)
Biel
The
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has banned a number of
contractors from participating and undertaking DPWH-initiated projects in Zamboanga
city.
DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson made this announcement after he inspected on Tuesday the ongoing housing projects under the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R), which are intended for Zamboanga-siege displaced families.
Covered by the DPWH ban are the contractors undertaking Z3R projects and are beyond the 15 percent allowable slippage.
Singson declined to publicly identify the erring contractors.
“We will not allow them to join our biddings (in the DPWH), they are identified,” he added.
He asserted that disallowing them to join future biddings will have a bigger impact when asked whether or not formal charges will be filed against the erring contractors.
The National Housing Authority (NHA) reported that 30.37 percent or 1,974 out of the 6,500 housing units have been completed with only 869 legally turned over to the beneficiaries as of Nov. 21 this year.
NHA said the total accomplishment has reached 39.03 percent, adding that the houses were done through the home materials assistance (HOMA) program.
Among the reasons cited by some of the construction firms handling numerous contracts which are way behind schedule in the project implementation are the lack of materials, lack of manpower and slow release of government permits, among others.
Originally, the timeline for the completion of the Z3R project set be President Benigno S. Aquino III was June 2015.
However, the extended timeline for the Z3R project is March 2016 notwithstanding the challenges besetting the implementation of the housing projects.
Singson met with the line agencies supervising the implementation of the housing projects before he inspected the Z3R projects.
Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar accompanied Singson during the inspection of the projects.
Singson inspected the projects after the Local Inter-Agency Committee (LIAC) chaired by Salazar asked the national government through a resolution to rescind contracts as well as to impose liquidated damages on construction firms with long overdue Z3R projects. (PNA)
X x x
The
city government anticipated to earn
PHP20 million annually from the operations of the newly-completed Integrated
Bus Terminal (IBT).
Dr. Elmeir
Jade Apolinario, OIC-city administrator, talked about this estimated collection
during the Dec 10 opening of the IBT for public use..The IBT is located in Barangay Divisoria, 6.40 kilometers east of City Hall. It will cater to five bus firms serving this city to the nearby provinces and as far as Cagayan de Oro City.
Apolinario said the IBT, which is one of this city’s economic enterprises, will earn revenues through collections of terminal fee, parking fee and rentals of food concessionaires.
He said the terminal fee is PHP15 for adult and PHP10 for child. The parking fee is PHP75 for big buses and PHP50 for small buses.
The rental of food concessionaires ranges from PHP5,000 to PHP6,000 monthly. Soon, the 1.5-hectare vacant lot at the IBT will be leased out.
The other amenities of the IBT include five comfort stations; a breastfeeding room; a clinic; an administration office with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras; a scanner machine for security purposes; and, 19 stalls occupied by business concessionaires to cater to the needs of passengers.(ZNS)
X
x x
ZCCI sees traffic woes
as
similar to those in Manila
The
President of the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZCCI) forsees
traffic problems in this city similar to those in Metro Manila.
Chamber
President Pocholo Soliven said traffic flow in the city are aggravating day by
day with no solution in sight.
Talks
about opening roads in the city with hundreds of millions of pesos appropriated
for the projects remain talks as the
funds for these projects remain deposited in banks.
Soliven
said the local government should now start to look for solutions to these
traffic congestions in the city, particularly during rush hours of the day.
He
said that while the opening of malls in the city indicate progress and
development in the city, the local government appears to be slow in
ancitipating and finding solutions to the growing traffic congestion in the
city.
Local
residents said that no one, if any, in the city council or the city government,
have come up with proposals to add more roads to provide alternate routes for
vehicules entering and leaving the city proper.
Aside
from the traffic problem brought about by people converging in malls and
business establishments, Soliven said city leaders should also anticipate power
problems and the peace and order as well as the rising criminality in
zamboanga. (ZNS)
X
x x
French
power firm plans 300 MG
solar
Zamboecozone power farm
A French investors plans to establish a solar
power plant or farm at the Zamboecozone are that could produce some 300
megawatts or more than what the city power consumer can use in years to come.
The company identified as Ecoglobal will
establish the solar farm inside the Ecozone to produce electricity for local
use.
This development was announced by City Mayor
Maria Isabelle Climaco Salazar during the Christmas party she hosted for the
barrio officials the other day.
On the other hand Jean Phillip Henry, Chief
Executive Office of Ecoglobal assured that power farm can produce 300 megawatts
of electricity within five years.
Initially, the solar power farm will produce
about 30 megawatts by about March next year.
Henry said the proposed solar plant planned for
Zamboanga will be the biggest in the entire country.
He admitted that his company has long planned to
establish the farm in this city but has taken the official move only this time
after the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) rescinded its contract
with the management of a proposed coal fired power plants in the Ecozone.
Incidentally , the recently conclude World Summit
on Climate Change has denounced the use of coal fired power plants as the
emissions pollute the environment.
Meantime, Ecozone Chairman Christopher Arnuco
confirmed that Ecoglobal is now a locator at the Ecozone.
The company will lease 200 hectares for the solar
power farm but initially, the company will use only 60 hectares for the
project.
The Board of Directors of the Ecozone has already
approved the project that will have an initial invest of 42 million dollars.
(zns)
X x x
Climaco, Iturralde thumps
down mandatory drug test
Both City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco Salazar
and Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde are against plans or suggestiong to subject or
require city government employees and officials as well as those in the
barangays to submit to mandatory drug testing to weed out drug addicts in the
service.
The mayor said mandatory drug testing is a
violation of the human rights of citizens.
In the same manner, she said she does not want
the local government to violate the human rights of city residents.
On the other hand, the vice mayor shares this
opinion of the mayor against mandatory drug testing.
Their reactions came about after the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) suggested that the city council approve an
ordinance mandating mandatory drug testing for local government and barrio
officials. (ZNS)
Senatorial bet wants to pursue claims to
A senatorial candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) led by the Binay-Honasan tandem stressed Muslims in the
Princess Jaycel Kiram said this has prompted her to aspire for a seat in the Senate and if elected, she would want to pursue claims to Sabah which she said has been the cause of conflicts in Mindanao through
She believes all insurgent groups in Mindanao are being funded by
According to Kiram, until today,
Kiram said no less than 72 billion dollars is the projected income of Sabah from oil, gas and other natural resources, and the sad part is that the
With such a huge amount of income, the government of
If such claim is decided in favor of the country, no Filipino will live in hunger, she said, as this can subsidize the more than 100 Filipinos with one sack of rice monthly.
Kiram pointed out this is not a personal fight of the Sultanate of Sulu but for every Filipino to claim jurisdiction and ownership of
She said she is saddened by the fact that the
X x x
2 killed, 6 wounded in ‘one-big-
time’
operation in Zam Sibugay
At the same time, the police have arrested one person and seized seven high-powered firearms with ammunition during the operation.
Supt. William Gadayan, Zamboanga Sibugay Public Safety Company (PPSC) chief, said the OTBT operation was conducted around 3:50 a.m. Tuesday in Barangay Poblacion, Talusan municipality.
Talusan is one of the three municipalities in
Gadayan, who spearheaded the operation, said the shootout ensued after some of the subjects of the search warrants they served opened fire prompting the policemen to return fire.
Gadayan identified those killed in the shootout as Edris Mohammad, former barangay councilor of Poblacion, and Basilisa Llanos, who were among the subject of search warrants.
Gadayan identified the wounded policeman as PO2 Noriel Laureta, who is assigned with the PPSC.
The wounded civilians were identified as follows: Lydia Mohammad; Albaina Mohammad; Noriba Amsani; Kisma Mohammad; and Fatima Ayesha.
Gadayan said Kisma and Fatima are minors though he did not say their ages.
He said the seven high-powered that they recovered were Garand rifle; AK-47 rifle; M4 rifle; baby Armalite rifle; Carbine rifle; 12-guage shotgun; and, a caliber .45 pistol as well as were assorted ammunition.
The OTBT operation is a nationwide campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) against syndicated criminal gangs, wanted criminals and loose firearms.
The OTBT operation is part of the PNP’s “Operations Plan (OPLAN) Lambat Sibat", an anti-criminality campaign of the government. (PNA)
Thousands of people witnessed the switch-on ceremony of the Christmas decorations on Tuesday night in Pagadian city’s Plaza Luz in front of City Hall.
At the same time, the “Christmas around the city contest” dubbed as Paskuhan 2015 kicked-off.
Gov. Antonio Cerilles congratulated the city officials for initiating the activity.
Mayor Romeo Pulmones said there will be nightly variety shows until New Year’s Eve for the entertainment of the public, including the visitors.
The Paskuhan 2015 kicked off with a program at 7 p.m. at the Taklobo Stage of Plaza Luz and was followed by a 15-minute fireworks display.
Among the Christmas decorations that were switched-on were the giant Christmas Tree at the Rotonda Hills, Christmas lights at the Plaza Luz and along this city streets.
The dancing fountain at the Plaza Luz was also the center of attraction during the program.
The participants of the Christmas around the city contest are the business establishments.
Eng’r. Nelly Sisona, Paskuhan 2015 committee chair, said the contest has four categories such as hotel and restaurant; department stores and shopping malls; gasoline stations; hardware and electrical supply stores; and, banks.
The prizes include PHP25,000, first prize; PHP15,000, second prize; and PHP10,000, third prize. (PNA)
X
xx
Traffic scheme for
KCC up by Dec 10
The city government will put in place a traffic
scheme in relations for the operation of the KCC Mall de Zamboanga on December 10,2015 .
Acting City Administrator Dr. Elmier
Apolinario said that the traffic
scheme will help avoid traffic congestion in the vicitity.
As planned, vehicles coming from Sta. Cruz
can not turn left to go inside or at the entrance
of the Mall.
Instead only those vehicles coming
from the intersection of Governor Camins like those coming from the
airport, Sta. Maria and Pasonanca will be allowed to pass.
Apolinario said that parking for vehicles
are also provided wherein single
motorcycles will be parked inside the Pastoral Council ground while the
four wheels vehicles will be parked inside the Mall.
Apolinario said that the setup
was discussed and approved in a meeting
conducted among the KCC Mall de Zamboanga Management together with
the local police authority and CA office to include
among others concerning on the entrance and exit of the mall .
The 0KCC Mall de Zamboanga was formally
inaugurated and blessed last December 4, 2015.( Letty M. Militante ).
X x x
ASG
bandit captured
in
Jolo, Sulu hospital
Government security forces arrested an Abu Sayyaf
Group (ASG) bandit during operations in Jolo, Sulu Friday morning.
Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu
commander, identified the arrested ASG bandit as Kadaffy Muktadil/Khadaffy
Camsa, a resident of Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi.
He was nabbed while undergoing treatment at the Integrated Provincial Hospital
The suspect has an outstanding warrant of arrest
for kidnapping issued by courts in Sandakan , Sabah .
Arrojado said Muktadil is now being secured by
the Jolo Municipal Police.
He added that it is very likely the captured ASG
bandit was among the group who abducted Malaysian Bernard Then and a female
companion during a raid in Sandakan
X x x
DOST develops
two kinds
of
emergency relief foods
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
through the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) has developed
two kinds of emergency foods that can be used relief foods in times of
calamities.
Dr. Anthony Sales, Mindanao DOST cluster
chairman, told the Philippines News Agency in an interview at the sideline of
the 2015 Mindanao Science and Technology (S&T) Fair that one of the two
kinds of emergency foods is ready for mass production while the other is undergoing
storage stability study.
The 2015 Mindanao
S&T Fair showcased the various innovative technologies the DOST has
developed. It reeled off Thursday and ended Saturday.
Sales said the first kind of emergency food was
the high energy “polvoron bar,” which is fondly known as “Filipino crack.”
Sales said the polvoron bar was already being
produced by a small and medium enterprise (SMEs) in Luzon while they were
eyeing the food innovation center of the Philippines Women’s College to produce
it for the Mindanao area.
Sales said the second kind of emergency food
ITDIdeveloped was the ready-to-eat rice porridge (arroz caldo), which is
undergoing storage stability study and analysis.
He said the rice porridge, like the polvoron bar,
would be mass produced once the storage stability study is completed.
He said the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) could stock the emergency foods, which can be distributed as
relief foods to disaster victims in times of calamity.
He said the production of the emergency foods
would be helpful for the DSWD in addressing the needs, especially food, of
disaster victims.
“Once the emergency foods are ready, we can
immediately distribute it to the people affected by disasters in times of
calamities,” he added. (PNA)
X x x
Christmas
Bazaar at
Paseo
reels off 6-12
The biggest Christmas Bazar in the city is coming
soon!!
Mark your calendar from December 06-12, 2015 as
we give the buying public a new venue to shop till you drop this Christmas
season!
The City Government of Zamboanga is giving you
the CITY CHRISTMAS BAZAAR 2015 from December 06-12, 2015 at the Paseo
del Mar Plaza. This will start from 4 pm until 12 midnight and is open to the
public. Anything that you would want to buy for the yuletide season can be found
in the area – toys, ready to wear items, apparels, shoes, bags, fashion
accessories, pasalubong and gift items that you would like to give to yourself
or loved ones. You can also take a rest from your busy schedule as you just
stroll inside the venue and enjoy the nightly entertainment with the variety of
foods served by our food concessionaires.
Application form for those who would like to
participate as exhibitors are ready at the Zamboanga Investment Promotion
Services, at the City Mayor’s Office. You can also call at landline number
991-4525 and look for Chalie or Mila for assistance.
Celebrate the Christmas Season with shopping,
entertainment and a lot more at the CITY CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
2015!!! (Investment Promotions PR)
X x x
DOH
warns of
flu,
coughing
The Department of Health (DOH) has warned the
public against the spread of colds, flu and coughing due to climate and
temperature changes this month.
Local Health Support Division Chief Dr. Agnes
Mabolo said residents can now feel the cold season from night to dawn this
December.
These changes can cause sickness and discomfort
to people, the doctor said.
She has also caustioned the public against
staying our under the sun to 10:00 am to 3:00 pm because of the heat.
Parents should also check and see to it that
their children to not play outside or in the sun during the period.
The busy hours of the day during the Christmas
season also make the people careless about their health.(ZNS)
X x x
In
reaction to Council Resolution:
City
now implementing ordinances
The City Government is now implementing some
ordinances, particularly those relating to sanitation in this city.
Acting City Administrator Dr. Elmier Apolination
said his office is now implementing city ordiances.
This is in reaction to a resolution of the city
council that called on the city administarators
office to implement ordiances that are already a part of the city’s
laws.
The city council has singled out the city’s
sanitation ordinance as the anti-littering law,
in the wake of the unsanitary and unhealthful condicions in the city.
Apolinario said that his men have actually
arrested violators of these ordinances.
Those arrested include vilators of the
jay-walking, anti- littering and the
sanitary code.
He admitted that not all of the violators can be
arrested for lack of personnel for the job.
There are only two sets of personnel assigned to
the job with 8 members each. One team is fielded in the day while the other
group is deployed at night. (ZNS)
X x x
Iturralde
says “no problem”
with Biel
Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde does not see any
problem with party mate Councilor Noning Biel running for the position of vice
mayor.
Iturralde is running for reelection, although
earlier he announced he was running for the position of congressman for the
Second District now occupied by Congresswoman Lilia Nuño.
Iturralde said Biel
Iturralde also said that it will not be an issue
whether Biel
Among other, he said, that counts is that he sill
abide with the arrangement made by Presidential Aspirant Mar Roxas and the
group of Congressman Celso Lobregat.
That arrangement resulted to the withdrawal of
Iturralde’s earlier announced candidacy for congressman of the second district
to preserve the unity of the political camps of Congressman Lobregat and Mayor
Maria Isabelle Climaco Salazar.
That Roxas-brockered arrangement prevented the
political confrontation of Nuno and Iturralde for the second district
congressional post and the possible clash of Lobregat and Mayor Climaco Salazar
for the position of chief executive of the city. (ZNS)
X x x
IDPs
at Masepla, Mampang
without
water for 2 months
The war victims of 2013 or the so-called
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) now resettled at the Masepla Transitory
Site at Mampang barangay have been without a reliable water supply since two
months ago.
(The hot climate is aggravated by their lack of
water supply to the area.)
Residents at Masepla have to buy water from other
water sources. The water is for their everyday needs.
Residents told media that they spend P10 per
gallon of water purchased in nearby barangays.
Since most of the war vicrims resettled at
Masepla are jobless, they have resorbed to seelling their personal belongs,
including clothes, so they can buy water for their needs.
Other than buying water, they also collect water
from rains and store these in big contrainers provided them by a Non Government
Organization or NGO. (ZNS)
X x x
DPWH
Secretary Singson checks projects;
bans erring contractorsDPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson made this announcement after he inspected on Tuesday the ongoing housing projects under the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R), which are intended for Zamboanga-siege displaced families.
Covered by the DPWH ban are the contractors undertaking Z3R projects and are beyond the 15 percent allowable slippage.
Singson declined to publicly identify the erring contractors.
“We will not allow them to join our biddings (in the DPWH), they are identified,” he added.
He asserted that disallowing them to join future biddings will have a bigger impact when asked whether or not formal charges will be filed against the erring contractors.
The National Housing Authority (NHA) reported that 30.37 percent or 1,974 out of the 6,500 housing units have been completed with only 869 legally turned over to the beneficiaries as of Nov. 21 this year.
NHA said the total accomplishment has reached 39.03 percent, adding that the houses were done through the home materials assistance (HOMA) program.
Among the reasons cited by some of the construction firms handling numerous contracts which are way behind schedule in the project implementation are the lack of materials, lack of manpower and slow release of government permits, among others.
Originally, the timeline for the completion of the Z3R project set be President Benigno S. Aquino III was June 2015.
However, the extended timeline for the Z3R project is March 2016 notwithstanding the challenges besetting the implementation of the housing projects.
Singson met with the line agencies supervising the implementation of the housing projects before he inspected the Z3R projects.
Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar accompanied Singson during the inspection of the projects.
Singson inspected the projects after the Local Inter-Agency Committee (LIAC) chaired by Salazar asked the national government through a resolution to rescind contracts as well as to impose liquidated damages on construction firms with long overdue Z3R projects. (PNA)
X x x
Police starts anti-crime
drive in wake of shootings
The
police will start an aggressive anti crime campaign in this city following the
almost daily shooting and killing incidents in zamboanga.
Police
authorities assure that the campaign will be aggressive including the arrests
of motorists violating traffic laws.
City
Police Director PSSupt Angelito Casimiro said that while the rules said there
must be signboards for checkpoints, there is no need for such rules if
Violators
or criminals are seen commiting crimes right in public view.
The
police will conduct their drives against crimes even at night. (ZNS)
X
x x
Zambo provinces
clear of Filariasis
The
department of health (DOH) has announced that the department has complted ist
drive against the disease filiariasis in the Zamboanga Peninsula
Specifically,
the DOH said that filiariasis has been cleared in the provinces of Zamboanga
del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.
DOH
Filaria coordinator Dr. Sitti Amilassa said that since 1998 the region registered
more than 1,000 cases of Filariasis.
However,
for this year, it was only in Zamboanga del Norte where the disease was
registered.
According
to Amilassan, the incidrence of Filariasis in Zamboanga del Norte has been
reduced by 70 to 80 percent.
The
DOH is confident that the disease will be eradicated in Zamboanga del Norte by
the year 2018.
The
department has undertaken mass drug campaign against the diseases in affected
areas in the peninsula by providing residents with anti filiriasis drugs as Albendazole
for those aged two years old and above.
Filiriasis
can be compared to Elephantiasis which is a chronic disabling disease
considered endemic in the Zamboanga
Peninsula
Like
Elephantiasis, Filiriasis also cause the enlargement of certain parts of the
body that is affected by the disease.
The
disease is spread by insect bites of mosquitores that transfer worms into the
body of humans and affected the lymphatic system of the sick.(ZNS)
X
x x
More talks needed
for CCTV ordinance
The city council has delayed approval of a
proposed ordinance requiring establishment to install Closed Circuit Televion
(CCTV) cameras in business establishments has been delayed due to calls to
expand its coverage.
The proposed ordinance to require the
different business establishments to provide CCTV cameras are
still in the first reading status
pending inclusion or modification of some provisions in the proposed law.
In an interview, Ordinance Author Councilor BG
Guingona said some of its proposed
provisions need to be clarified .
The original target of the proposed law was that medium and large
scale businesses should be required the installation of these cameras.
However, the local police authority led by Sr. Supt.
Angelito Casimiro wants to include even the small time businesses .
According to Guingona , though they already conducted
several public hearings still it needs to encourage the
business sectors to include the private sector for that matter.
“We have to talk more , “ Guingona said referring to
the various business sector in the city.
Under the proposed ordinance , all business establishments ranging
from P 3 to P 5 million capital investment are required to
install the CCTV cameras. ( Letty M. Militante)
X x x
Pareja calls on barangay’s officials
to report anomalies in communities
City Councilor Josephine “Pin-Pin”
Pareja has called on barangay leaders, particularly barangay Kagawads and concerned residents to
report anomalies in their respective barangays to the Department of Interior
and Local Government or DILG.
Pareja made this call following
reports that allowances and monetary benefits due barangays officials or
employees are on hold or cannot be paid because of anomalies in the
disbursement and theft of barangays funds.
While she declined to name the
barangays concerned, Pareja said some barangay officials connive with each
other to steal funds intended for public use or expenditures.
These include the alleged purchase of
office supplies, which are instead converted to cash and pocketed by some
naughty barangays officials.
There are also cases of “ghost
employees” who are listed in payrolls of barangay governments but are not paid
the amount due them.,
There are unconfirmed reports that
barangays projects are not implemented but that some officials already
collected their kickbacks from their favored contractors contracted to
undertake these project.
Some barangays officials also
fabricate resolutions because there are no regular sessions held in the
barangays government.
Some barangays officials fail to meet
in session regularly and some do not even conduct the yearly general assembly
as required by the Local Government Code.
She said cases should be filed
against erring barangay chairmen in cahoots with their secretaries and
treasurers.
If no cases or complaints are filed
that could indicate that some Kagawads are in cahoots with their erring
barangays officials or chairmen. (Letty M. Militante )
X x x
Anti-fireworks ordinance
In place to 2016 yearend
The ordinance that prohibits the use and sale of fireworks and
pyrotechnics will stay in place as this will stay before the year end of
2016.
The city government has implemented an anti-fireworks ordinance
since December of 2013 following the rebel attacks in this city of September
Local officials, particularly councilors, who could have developed
phobias to the exploding of guns and heavy weapons during that Sept 9 war in
the coastal areas of the city have
expanded their fear to the exploding of firecrackers, some pundits in this city
sa.
Councilor BG Guingona said that that as far as the ordinance
banning the use , display and sale
of fireworks and pyrotechnics “Status quo kita.“
According to Guingona , the passage on the ordinance that
prohibits the sell, display and sale l of fireworks and pyrotechnics are
for two (2) reasons 1.) the trauma left during the Zamboanga Siege last
September 09, 2013 and 2.) the zero (0) casualties.
“I am with the Department of Health (DOH) -
“iwas pa-putok “ Guingona said .
Guingona said that as off press time , he has not receive
any directive coming from the local chief executive regarding the uses and sell fo fireworks
and pyrotechnics .
Guingona said that whatever the people say – sentiments
he will abide by it .
“I stand firm with my decision because for the past two
years we have zero casualties, Guingona said .
On the other hand , there are still individuals who are longing to
bring back on the uses of fireworks and pyrotechnics because it
brings them joys
and the beauty of it considering other countries are even
using it as was to attract tourists.
Guingona said that if the majority will rule to bring
back the uses , display and sell of fireworks and pyrotechnics , “I
will abide .” ( Letty M. Militante)
X
x x
City buries unclaimed
cadavers in Talabaan
The
city government buried in one common grave the 19 cadavers of unclaimed dead kept since last year at a
local funeral home.
The
mass burial was held at the Talabaan
cemetery last Friday.
The
activity was facilitated by Social Worker Lucy Francisco.
The
19 unclaimed cadavers included that of a fetus.
Two
of the cadavers have been kept or stored at the funeral homes for a year now
while the rest were kept there all these months as none of the relatives
visited the facility to claim the
remains.
Of the 19 unclaimed cadavers, 17 are males , with
one female and a newborn fetus.
Five of the cadavers were remains of people who
died from bullet wounds, four from sickness, one a drowning victim, two of old
age and one of malnutrition.
Two of the cadavers were in an advanced stage of
decomposition.
Sanitary Inspector Edwin Natividad said the
common grave was from 10 to 12 feet deep to prevent escape of foul odor from
the decaying cadavers.
The government has so far buried 300 unclaimed cadavers in the Talabaan cemetery
since last year.
The unclaimed cadavers include alleged members of
the rebel group who died during the
assault in the city last September 9, 2013. (ZNS)
City eyes P1 billion
projects before polls
The city government has aligned projects worth
over a billion pesos to be implemented this year.
City Engineer Luis Vicente Despalo of the
City Engineer Office (CEO) yesterday said that these several infrastructure
projects are all scheduled to be implement until March 2016 .
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) is conducting
a series of bidding for the implementation of these projects.
According to Despalo, there are several
infrastructure projects both major and minor to be implemented up to
March of 2016.
In other development, Despalo said that in
as far as the Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT) is concerned , the CEO has
not turned over the project to the city government for actual use.
The IBT is between 97 % to98 % in completion
Despalo since the work on the overpass is still ongoing.
He also said that the city administrators office
will be the office to schedule its turnover.
Work on the building has been completed in December
of last year, but the delay in its use is due to the on going work on the
overpass.
There is no official work on work to be done to
repair the structure destroyed at the old public market at Magay. (Letty M.
Miltante)
City,
PLDT tackle
connectivity
woes
The City Government convened a meeting with
representatives of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT)
November 25, Wednesday, at City Hall to discuss the connectivity disruptions in
the City and the measures being undertaken to address it.
City Mayor Beng Climaco, together with
Investments and Promotions Head Apple Go and City Planning and Development
Officer Rodrigo Sicat, sat down with executives from PLDT led by Emeraldo
Hernandez, Vice President of the Technical Operations Center, to go over PLDT’s
interventions and future plans to strengthen and maintain internet connectivity
in the City and the region.
Recall in July, Climaco convened a meeting of
representatives from telecommunication companies to help address the frequent
connectivity disruptions. A task group composed of the LGU, PLDT, Smart, Globe,
DPWH, the PNP and the AFP, and other agencies was created by the chief
executive to coordinate and collaborate efforts to address glitches and ensure
uninterrupted voice and data services in the City.
According to Hernandez, PLDT has already
installed a fiber optic core swap with Globe from Ipil and Zamboanga to address
immediate connectivity gaps.
Short term and long term goals include the
establishment of a resilient transport network looping Zamboanga City, Ipil,
Pagadian, Ozamiz, Sindangan, Dipolog and Oroquieta slated to be completed by
the end of the year, and the establishment of the underground fiber optic
resiliency between Zamboanga City and Ipil by the second quarter of 2016.
These interventions, in particular the resilient
transport networks, will help in maintaining connectivity in cases of
interruptions and breaks in the network.
In their report, PLDT noted the frequent
commercial power failure and road widening projects nationwide as causes of
connectivity interruptions.
Last September, internet slow down affected
consumers all over Mindanao. (Jasmine Mohammadsali)
X x x
More ATMs
up in Sulu
Zamboanga City – Leading banking institutions
with branches in Sulu have pledged to install more automated teller machines
(ATMs) to cater to the growing needs of their clientele in the province.
Sulu Vice Gov. Abdusakur Tan on Thursday said
this was the assurance of the bank managers when they met and discussed about
the deployment of additional ATMs in Jolo to cater to government employees and
private individuals as well as to further enhance their services.
Tan called the meeting with the managers as he
noted that many people were queuing up – rain or shine – outside the banks just
to be able to withdraw money from ATMS, especially during paydays.
“We want these banks to put more ATMs so it can
accommodate more clients,” he added.(PNA)