Monday, December 1, 2014

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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 20th of January of each year. Based on records, total  business...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...