Climaco orders halt, probe of

Climaco orders halt, probe of

Patalon quarrying operations

ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 01 (ZNS) -Mayor Maria Isabel Climaco Salazar on Thursday ordered a stop of all illegal quarrying operations in Pulang Lupa in barangay Patalon and at the same directed City Legal officer Atty. Jesus Carbon to conduct a thorough investigation of said activities.

This, as the mayor personally saw the destruction in the environment resulting from extensive quarrying activities sans the necessary permits. The trees on the mountainside are almost uprooted and the water from the river exits through the narrow waterways.

Together with Zamboanga Economic Zone and Freeport Authority Chairman Christopher Arnuco, Patalon barangay chairman Gaudencio Rojas and Labuan Police Station Commander PSI Raymond Sanson trekked the hilly and rocky road to Pulang Lupa in barangay Patalon in the wake of complaints from barangay residents and Zambo ecozone about rampant quarrying activities in the area.

 “Por medio de capitan, ta ordena yo que suspende anay todo operacion aqui hasta hace propio investigacion si Judge Jesus Carbon para puede quita hace el lo que debe,” the mayor said citing the massive destruction wrought by the quarrying activities in the area.

She likewise ordered the Labuan Police Chief to station police personnel in the area to monitor quarrying activities and to apprehend those who would continue to engage in such activities. The presence of heavy equipment in the area speaks volumes of the extent of quarrying activities being done thereat.

Mayor Climaco stressed that the destruction caused by illegal quarrying threatens the safety of the residents particularly the young children. “Mio orden con Judge Carbon is to make appropriate investigation as we suspend the operations.”

The City Government has not issued permits nor renewed the permits of any individual to conduct quarrying activities in the area which, according to the Ecozone officials is part of their jurisdiction, according to the mayor. “I am for the total protection of the environment y nuay quita dale licensia.”

Patalon Chairman Rojas said he will also assign barangay tanods to guard the area  to ensure that no further destruction will take place. He said the need to suspend quarrying operations is very crucial.

Together with personnel from the City Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Rojas said, the Barangay Council last April also visited the area and ordered the suspension of operations. “They (those engaged in quarrying) were asking for the renewal of their permits but they were told to do some rehabilitation before they can apply for renewal. The call (for rehabilitation) was unheeded and the destruction was aggravated.

Earlier Thursday morning, members of the City Council with City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Engr. Rey Gonzales dialogued with Ecozone and barangay officials and residents in the area. (ZNS)

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Orendain resigns as city administrator

Orendain resigns as city administrator

June 22, open to new position if given

ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 01 (ZNS) -City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr. has submitted to the city mayor his resignation as City Administrator  last June 22.

City Mayor Maria Isabel Climaco Salazar  has confirmed this resignation by saying that Orendain will serve this post only up to end of the month of June.

Orendain is a regular employee of the city government and while he resigned his position as city administrator, it is up to the mayor to assign him to another position.

“We can’t be there forever. We worked for Zamboanga,” said  Orendain, Jr.

Orendain who served the city of Zamboanga for the past years under  several Local Chief Executive way back  from the Late Mayor Maria Clara “Caling “ L. Lobregat  said that  as far as he is concerned  “I am resigning , it is up for the  Mayor Maria Isabelle “Beng”  Climaco Salazar.”

It will be recalled that the resignation of Orendain came after   the Civil Service Commission (CSC)  questioned his  eligibility to occupy the position.

According to Orendain,  there is no problem if and when Mayor Climaco Salazar will appoint him in another capacity aside from City administrator.

What is important, he said , is that   he served and worked for the city of Zamboanga  for  the past years .

Orendain said that after he handed his resignation letter to the mayor, She told him; “ “ I will talk to you.” (ZNS)

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COA blocks “soft opening” of Divisoria

COA blocks “soft opening” of Divisoria

Integrated Bus Terminal less overpass

ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 01 (ZNS)- The Commission on Audit (COA) has stopped the planned the soft opening of the multimillion peso Integrated Bus Terminal at Divisoria barangay on account of its unfinished overpass.

City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr said the  City Government can not open “partially” the Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT) minus the overpass that is still unfinished  to  June 30,2015 as scheduled .

Administrator Orendain  Jr. said that  the COA denied   the city plan for the partial opening of the IBT  since it the entire project is not yet 100 percent (100% ) complete.

Although the IBT  building is 100 % completed the contractor has not completed the overpass that would allow people to cross the street to and from the IBT.

According to Orendain,  The COA has ruled that the project should be  100 percent (100%)  complete before it can be opened to the public .

“Mandated del COA no pwede abri partial , “ Orendain said.

“All the while we thought that because  the building is completed pwede ya usa. Nuay kita pensa  it will happen that way , “ Orendain  added.

As this developed, Orendain said that they already met with contractor  and the City Engineer’s Office headed by Engr. Luis Vicente Despalo to expedite the  completion of the  “over pass” with in a period of one (1) month.

Orendain said that  they need about P 240,000  which is not provided in the contract on the Zamcelco line  that hamper the over pass.

Orendain said that  they already made the estimate on that matter.

In other development, Orendain said that  in as far as the building is concern  everything is completed except for some additional improvement like  to put a grills on the windows .

Orendain also said that about 50’s personnel will be deployed for the operations of the IBT  made up by , some 40’s  on “job order”  personnel as man power, five (5) foreman and five (5) operators for the CCTV cameras. (ZNS) 

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