Feature: There’s money in calamansi farming

By Gideon C. Corgue

   Visiting the “Calamansi Capital” of the Zamboanga Peninsula was quite an experience for us. Neat rows of hundreds of calamansi trees were grown in this area and such requires not too much attention. Just the usual watering and fertilizing the soil are enough and harvesting is done everyday, portion by portion of the vast plantation. 

Known as the “Calamansi Capital” of Zamboanga Peninsula, the municipality of Siay has 634.4 hectares planted with calamansi by 261 small farmers, municipal agriculturist Elsa Bagaforo said.

We visited a young couple who were engaged in the business and are now earning a modest income to support their family and send their children to school.

Ronald and Rodina Espera of Barangay Batu, Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay in an interview with Philippine Information Agency  said they started their small family business by planting calamansi after they got married in 2001.

The wait was not too long for the hard-working couple. Soon they started harvesting calamansi from the 3 hectares of land that Ronald inherited from his parents. With an ideal climate and  fertile soil, their labor indeed was not in vain.  Later, they were able to acquire an additional 2 hectares which was leased to them.

The couple’s parents are also calamansi farmers and from their experience, such business provided them with sufficient income to buy the necessities of life and fund the schooling of their four (4) children.

“Sa pagpananom sa lemonsito mitunhay ang among pamuyo, apan dili ako makaingon nga adunay kami dako nga abot. Igo lamang nga makapakaon sa akong mga anak ug pagpa-eskwela kanila (We survived pretty well, although I couldn’t categorically say that we earn a lot. It is just enough to feed my children and send them to school),” Ronald explained. He said it enabled them to live a decent life.

The 33-year-old Ronald said they ventured in calamansi farming believing that there’s money in calamansi. “We planted grafted calamansi plants, and from there our business flourished naturally,” Ronald said in vernacular.

”Sa akong kasinatian, ang among gitanom nga punoan sa lemonsito mobunga sa 11,280 kilos. Moabot kini sa 376 ka sako kapin kun kulang matag harvest. Among gibaligya ang lemonsito sa Motherland, usa ka processing plant sa dakbayan sa Cagayan de Oro sa tag-P372 ang matag sako (The calamansi trees yield a harvest of 11,280 kilos  and that amounts to 376 bags. We ship and sell the calamansi at Motherland, a processing plant in Cagayan de Oro City at  P372 per bag), Ronald said.

Ronald explained that they ventured in calamansi farming because unlike other crops or fruit trees, it doesn’t really need much caring. “Gawas sa naandan nga pagbubo ug tubig ug pagbutang ug abuno, pagbisbis ug pestisidyo kausa lamang, ug biyaan na lamang kini (Aside from the usual watering and fertilizing, we spray it with pesticide only  once but other than that, we just leave it there),” he disclosed.

He did not spend so much for production cost because it is almost purely a family business, with his nephews and nieces helping them out. He hires four (4) male young workers for the labor.

”Gawas nga among gibayran ang mga trabahante, duha niini ang among gigastuhan sa pag-ekwela aron makapadayon sa ilang pagtungha sa kolehiyo ug makatapos sa kurso (Aside from paying the hired laborers, we send two of them to school and earn a  college degree),” Ronald said.

Indeed, there is money in calamansi and success in not so hard to achieve if we persevere to reach our goal through hard work and determination. (ALT/GCC/PIA9-Zambosur)

NCC orients key sectors on Philippine Quality Award and Challenge Programs

by Michael Vincent D. Cajulao


ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 30 (PIA) – The National Competitiveness Council stopped by the city last week to orient key sectors on the Philippine Quality Award and Challenge Programs as part of its nationwide road show.


The whole day activity held last July 26 include lectures on specific important points, all aimed at promoting competitiveness among industries and the mechanics of the Philippine Quality Award and Philippine Quality Challenge.


Department of Trade and Industry Assistant Division Chief of Center for Industrial Competitiveness (DTI-CIC) and National Competitiveness Council Program Officer Ms. Sarah C. Lope started the lecture proper touching on Building Regional Competitiveness.


Ms. Lope explained that the project’s goal is to build regional/local competitiveness vis-à-vis selected ASEAN cities or regions. Lope said the program also aims to encourage Regional Development Councils (RDCs) to organize their own Local Competitiveness Committees, develop a set of metrics to serve as diagnostic tool for assessing regional or local competitiveness, tap universities competitiveness data collection thru research and conduct surveys, and to establish a network of public and private key stakeholders and development partners.


To attain these goal and objectives, Lope presented a proposed structure as model for RDC who have yet to come up with their own Regional Competitiveness Council, with Zamboanga Peninsula, included. According to Lope the Council will be composed of 50% public sector representatives and 50% from the private sector. This is in line with President Benigno Aquino’s Private-Public Partnership (PPP). The council will then have three basic activities, data collection on competitiveness indicators, Monitoring and Evaluation, this includes annual enterprise survey, customer satisfaction survey, field monitoring and evaluation, and Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) Baseline Data Validation; and last activity is capability building and training.


As of June 2012, there are 10 committees being set up nationwide.


Mr. Paolo Beda Joven, also of NCC/DTI-CIC, on the other hand presented the results of the 2012 BPLS.


DTI-9 Regional Information Officer Lowell Vallecer said BPLS is one of the advocacies of the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (NERBAC). BPLS, Vallecer said, aims to help the local government to come up with an efficient business licensing system to make it easier for all industries to register their businesses.


In the afternoon, participants oriented on the Philippine Quality Award and Philippine Quality Challenge.


The Philippine Quality Award is a flagship program of the National Action Agenda for Productivity (NAAP), established in October 1997 by virtue of Executive Order no. 448, and was institutionalized on February 28, 2001 thru the signing of Republic Act 9013, otherwise known as the Philippine Quality Award Act. PQA is also a roadmap towards Global Competitiveness for key sectors like agriculture, industry or services, and public sectors.


DTI-CIC Specialist Mr. Phillip Jason P. Roque said the objectives of PQA is to achieve performance excellence by promoting standards on organizational performance, recognizing organizations which achieved quality and business excellence, and establishing national system for assessing quality and productivity performance.


In Region 9, the Department of Science and Technology recently received the Philippine Quality Award last January 12, 2012, with no less than Pres. Noynoy Aquino giving the award.


Ms. Myleen V. Aldana, also of DTI-CIC, talked on the Philippine Quality Challenge (PQC).


According to Aldana, PQC is a simplified PQA criteria designed for the small and medium enterprises, and those starting to improve their organizations. She added that PQC is a self-assessment and recognition program.


PQC helps in identifying the organization’s strengths and opportunities for improvements, serves as an excellent guide in the continual improvement efforts, recognizes organizations during annual conferences, and be part of PQA-recognized organizations.


The criteria for PQC seven basic components in particular order; management, planning, customer focus, measurement and data management, work force focus, operation focus, and business result.


Ms. Rosemarie S. Salazar, head of DOST-9’s regional Standards and Testing Laboratories, shared the department’s best practices that bagged them the Philippine Quality Award this year. (MVC/PIA-9)

The birth, pains, and success of Danlugan Multi-Purpose Cooperative

By Michael Vincent D. Cajulao

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 2 (PIA) – “To help and assist the farmers is our ultimate goal”, Ms. Conchita Taclain, Board Member of Danlugan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative based in Pagadian City, said.

Ms. Taclain was invited by the Department of Trade and Industry-9 (DTI) to share the cooperatives history, the ups and downs, and finally their success as a cooperative, during the Regional Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Caravan last month.

The coop started in April 5, 1994 when 28 farmers from Barangay Danlugan, Pagadian City decided to come together with the purpose of freeing them from economic exploitation by unscrupulous capitalists preying on low income individuals like them, with a measly capital of P5,600.00, but enough for them to start anew.

“We started with 28 founding members, and we are proud to say that we now have 1,000 regular and associate members”, Ma’am Conchita said.

They started with a small consumer store. After over a year of operation, the founding members decided to formally register their cooperative with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and in July 13, 1996, they were granted their legal identity, she recalled.

However, the road to success, just like any other businesses, is not all bed of roses.

“There were many ups and downs that we experienced. It was really not always good for us”, she said.

It was in 1998 that the coop experienced its first-ever serious setback caused by mismanagement brought about by defective recordings and inadequate operating policies. It was really very bad that it brought the coop on the brink of closing. Fortunately, the Pagadian City Cooperative Development Office (PCCDO) came to its rescue, helping the cooperative to rise above the crisis.

In 2002, with the help of PCCDO, the coop underwent reorganization, with a full time manager appointed for the first time to oversee its operation. After a year, the coop regained momentum, overcoming its predicament, and the coop never looked back since.

With a well organized system now in place, assistance coming from both the government and private sector poured in, further strengthening the cooperative.
In 2006, PCCDO endorsed the cooperative to be the beneficiary of a dairy project being implemented by the National Dairy Authority, granting them 60 heads of Holstein Shawl dairy cows direct from New Zealand and distributing those to qualified farmer-members. The following year, on January 31, 2007, the Pagadian Dairy Fresh, wholly owned by the cooperative, came to being.
In order to meet the mounting credit needs of its increasing membership the cooperative sought assistance from LANDBANK and was able to access a P 1,000,000.00 credit line for rediscounting in September 2006. This credit facility steadily increased over time in accordance to its needs and absorptive capacity. As of its latest renewal in 2010, the credit reached P18.6 million.

The Department of Science and Technology-9 granted P200,000.00 aid for the project, and has also approved P484, 750.00 soft loan for the acquisition of milk processing equipments.

The coop also received a P100,00.00 donation from the Filipino Community based in Melbourne, Australia, with the local government of Pagadian City pitching in P30,000.00.

In 2008, through the technical assistance from LAND BANK, the cooperative launched its member’s savings operation.

With all the good things falling into place, the coop was named “Rising SME Star” by DTI last year.

As of December 31, 2011, the cooperative membership now has 1000 regular and associate members, employing 21 staffs. Its total assets have also ballooned to P30 million with a net worth of P5, 530,784.55. Internal fund mobilization has increased to P5 million in capital build up and a total member’s deposit balance of P4, 561, 190.35. It also gained an undivided net surplus of P1, 618, 224.57, with dairy cow stock at last count stands at 147 heads, making it the only cooperative in Region IX producing and processing dairy products. Their product is the now being used in the government’s Program for school children and pre-schoolers.

Danlugan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative has now also ventured into organic fertilizer production, and actively promoting organic farming among farmer-members.

Aside from these successes, DFMPC is also a consistent nominee for GAWAD PITAK and a recipient of incredible magnitude of grants and credit line. Thru the effort of the coop officers, DFMPC was able to get financial grant From Sagip Saka program of Sen. Francis Pangilinan amounting to P 1,000,000.00 aimed to facilitate the agricultural assistance of the coop. Grants coming from Land O’ Lakes Foundation were also approved recently for upgrading of the dairy facilities amounting to P1.4 million.

With due regards to its affiliation, the DFMPC is a bona fide member of some recognized financing institution, like MASS-SPECC, among others. Credit lines are also consistently increasing coming from UCPB and Land Bank.

DFMPC has also prepared a development plan for expansion of the cooperative in the near future.

“We already have a development plan, and we hope to start expansion by 2015 and up, at least up to 2020, hopefully”, Ms. Taclain said.

Ms. Taclain also left some advice for aspiring SMEs to enjoy the same success that they have.

“First is patience, they have to be patient. Also there should be cooperation between the management and members, and above all, prayers. We should ask God for guidance in our daily operation. There should also be open lines for communication and consultation within the organization. There should also be continuous trainings and seminars for officers down to the members for continuous learning.  We need all these to improve our business for the good of the farmers of the public”, she ended. (MVC/PIA9-ZBST)

DAR celebrates 3rd CARPER anniversary

by Claro A. Lanipa

PAGADIAN CITY 02 Aug (PIA) – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) celebrated its 3^rd Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) as per Republic Act 9700 of  2009, better known as the CARPER law. This law contains an extension of the budget for CARP especially the Land Acquisition and Distribution (LSAD) program for five years from July 1, 2009.

Zamboanga del Sur DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Engr. Raymundo Bernardo in a press conference held recently at his office said, the law clearly states that the support services  will still be provided to the CARP beneficiaries.

Nationwide, we still a balance of almost a million hectares of private agricultural lands which requires the necessary reforms to complete the acquisition and distribution to landless farmers, he said.

In Zamboanga del Sur, Bernardo disclosed, there are a total of 65,382 hectares mostly private agricultural lands of different types of acquisition to include non-private agricultural lands or government own lands turned over to us for distribution under CARP.

CARP started in 1988 as per  RA-6657, this was actually a 10-year program implemented by DAR based on the  mandate of the Philippines Constitution. This was extended for another 10 years from 1998-2008, to distribute the balances, mostly private agricultural lands. There were even  pressures from the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) that there are some imbalances in the distribution mostly of which are contentious and problematic lands we need to locate within the five year, Bernardo said.

He said, during the recent State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno Aquino III, he was emphatic that   all lands under Phase 3-A should be issued with the notice of coverage up to December 2012. This means that all lands 10 hectares and above are covered with this phase and the issuance of notice has started July, this year.

As stated also by President Aquino, we will also be covering 5 hectares and below 10 hectares by next year under Phase 3-B. The issuance of notices will commence on July 1, 2013, Bernardo added.

Meanwhile Engr. Josephine Sisican, chief Beneficiaries Development and Coordination Division reported, that as of July 2012 a total of P363.144 Million ARCP II projects have been approved. These projects are  rehabilitation/ improvement of Farm to Market Roads (FMR), Barangay Health Stations, road repair and construction, warehouses and solar dryers distributed in 17 municipalities in the province.

ARCP II is being funded by Asean Development Bank (ADB) with counterpart from the local government units (LGUs.)

PARO Bernardo added, that once we give the beneficiaries a piece of land through the CARP more services will come in. DAR alone can’t do this, “we   always work with our project partners which is the LGUs, the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs), as well as the NGOs and CSOs operating in the province,” Bernardo emphasized. We are very lucky because there are still active NGO’s who are supporting our program, he said.

He further said, DAR focuses more on the natural practice system as well as the organic farming system. The trending today, is to do away with the use of in-organic, which usually used chemicals and pesticides. “We always adopt programs implemented or pushed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Integrated Pest Management and other systems,” said Bernardo. (CAL/PIA9).

Dipolog COP justifies police escorts given to LCEs

By Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY, AUG. 2(PIA)—The leadership of the Philippine National Police in Dipolog City has explained on the number of uniformed PNP personnel given to the Local Chief Executives.

Dipolog City Police Office, Officer-in Charge Superintendent Joven Parcon said under a directive issued the PNP heirarchy, LCEs are allowed to have one or two regular PNP members as security escorts.

According to Parcon, PNP will provide additional escorts if the Local Chief Executive will request for it because of life threat.

Parcon issued the clarification after critics of Dipolog City Mayor Evelyn Uy questioned the number of PNP personnel providing her security.

The Chief of Police explained that presently, DCPO has provided the Lady Chief Executive two (2) policemen to provide her security in a eight-hour shifting schedule.

However, Parcon stressed that police escorts are directed to be in complete uniform when on duty, especially when carrying long firearms.

“Police escorts who are in civilian attire are not allowed to carry long firearms in order not to create a negative public impression,” Parcon said. (ATR/PIA9-Zambo Norte)

Joint reg’l, prov’l peace councils meet to end hostilities in Sumisip

by Rene V. Carbayas

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Aug 2 (PIA) – The joint regional and provincial peace and order council was convened Tuesday in Basilan with Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Officer-in-Charge Governor Mujiv Hataman to discuss measures to end hostilities in Sumisip, Basilan.

During discussions, Regional Governor Hataman underscored the need for government agencies and local government unit to address the issues and conflicts affecting the communities south of Basilan with pro-active stance.

Hataman specifically asked the Provincial Agrarian Reform Office and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) to explain the situation of the Tumajubong Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative (TARBIDCI) that may have escalated and caused the series of hostilities in Sumisip Municipality.

He also asked the concerned agencies for specific interventions made to address the problem of the cooperative.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Suwaib Ismael reported that the TARBIDCI cooperative was beset with problems on management and infightings among some beneficiaries, which eventually became violent for some disgruntled individuals.

At least three separate incidents of harassments since last year were reported, where rubber plantation workers fall victims of ambush, waylaid and strafing on their way to gather rubber produce inside the plantation. The latest bloody incident occurred last July 11, 2012 where seven plantation workers died and several others wounded.

Pursuit operations against perpetrators ensued resulting to armed confrontations on July 26, 2012 against some 150 lawless elements (some of them believed to be members of the dreaded Abu Sayyafs) that killed some 11 government soldiers, wounding some 18 others, and displaced over a thousand families in Sumisip, Basilan.

Outgoing Basilan Police Chief PS/Supt. Alex Lineses reported that appropriate charges in court were already filed involving some suspects which the police did not identify. He added that the police joined and provided security to the social welfare personnel in delivering relief goods in different affected areas last July 29.

Anwary Akalon of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and point person of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee reported that 2,000 family packs relief goods were prepared and served to some 1,961 displaced families. He said that a total of P603,000 worth of assistance to internally displaced persons were delivered.

Meanwhile, Tipo-Tipo Mayor Ingatun Istarul has asked the military to re-establish the abandoned detachments along major roads in Tipo-Tipo and Sumisip, which he believed will help reduce atrocities in this troubled southern part of Basilan. Istarul fears that as an adjacent town of Sumisip, Tipo-Tipo is highly vulnerable and that spillover violence may strike anytime if security is not tightened.

Outgoing Joint Task Force Basilan Commander Col. Arthur Ang of the 104^th Philippine Army Brigade reiterated the call to foster the spirit of ‘Bayanihan’ in Basilan, urging stakeholders—the local government units, civilians, government agencies, the military and the police—to strengthen cooperation and collaboration to attain the elusive peace and development. 

Ang underscored the importance of completing the on-going Basilan Circumferential Road (BCR) concreting as detrimental to the full development of the province. He, further announced that the arrival of the 64^th Infantry Battalion in Basilan recently is not intended for military operations as alleged by some sectors but were here solely to protect and provide security to ensure completion of the BCR. (RVC/PIA9-ZBST)

PHL-UNICEF MOU benefits 4 Zanorte municipacilities

By Alfonso T. Ruda   

DIPOLOG CITY, AUG. 2(PIA)--- Four municipalities in Zamboanga del Norte are among the local government units to benefit from  United Children’s Fund(UNICIEF) initiatives in the Philippines.

This was contained in a Memorandum of Understanding on the joint program of cooperation on Investment Convergence for Equity for Children, inked between the Philippines and the UNICEF.

Signatories for the Philippines were NEDA, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the concerned LGUs while UNICEF was led by its Representative to the Philippines Tomoo Hozumi.

Under the MOU, UNICEF and the national government would provide technical assistance to the 36 LGUs in terms of accelerating the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in strengthening policies and implementing social services for children.

The 4 municipalities in Zamboanga del Norte are Leon Postigo, Tampilisan, Siayan and Sindangan.

Aside from Zamboanga del Norte, the other municipalities are in the provinces of Camarines Norte (Basud, Capalonga, Labo, Mercedes, Paracale, and Vinzons); Masbate (Milagros, Cawayan, Monreal, and Aroroy); Northern Samar (Mapanas and Bobon); North Cotabato (Midsayap, President Roxas, Aleosan and Arakan); Saranggani (Malungon); Sultan Kudarat (Kalamansig and Lebak); Maguindanao (Parang, Upi, South Upi and Mamasapano); Sulu (Parang and Siasi); and Tawi-Tawi (Languyan).

Meanwhile, the six cities are Puerto Princesa City, Zamboanga City, Davao City, Cotabato City, Pasay City and Quezon City.

The 36 LGUs are part of the 609 priority LGUs that already submitted local poverty reduction plans to national government agencies for possible funding.

Socio Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said thirty(30) municipalities and six (6) cities that would comprise the first batch of local government units that would be part of the joint program of cooperation for 2012 to 2016.

Balisacan said the partnership exemplified the high level of enthusiasm and initiative of municipal and city governments in pursuing projects that focus on the rights of children.

One of the LGUs’ commitment was to formulate a technical assistance plan to accelerate the attainment of MDGs for 2012 to 2013 within the framework of their comprehensive development and land use plans, including local poverty reduction plans.

The 36 LGUs are part of the 609 priority LGUs that already submitted local poverty reduction plans to national government agencies for possible funding.

”Through this joint program, we can provide the enabling environment for LGUs to be aware of, committed to, and capacitated in addressing the most urgent concerns for children in their respective localities,” Balisacan said.

The LGUs will be assisted by the national government agencies, UNICEF and other civil society organizations, with their respective Regional Project Monitoring Committees (RPMC) chaired by the NEDA Regional Directors as the responsible units for monitoring and evaluating the joint program.(ATR/PIA9-Zambo Norte)

PNoy allots P850-M for Dipolog infra projects

by Franklin P. Gumapon

DIPOLOG CITY, Aug. 2 (PIA) - - President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III has allocated P850 million for the implementation of the city’s various infrastructure projects.

In her recent meeting with President Aquino at Malacañang, Mayor Evelyn T. Uy said the President assured her of the release of P850 million of which P150 million would be used for the completion of the Corazon C. Aquino Memorial Hospital now being built at Barangay Biasong this city.

Uy also disclosed that one of the infrastructure projects to be funded by the said amount is the expansion/upgrading of the Dipolog City Airport.

It can be recalled that in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last week, President Aquino enumerated the airports to be upgraded and one of these was the Dipolog airport.

In a related development, City Planning and Development Coordinator Albert Alimpulos bared that the coffers of the city government have remained liquid. It has fully paid its loans for its five projects such as the Dipolog Public Market and the implementation of solid waste management amounting to P19.7 million, small and medium scale livelihood projects worth P1 million, computerization program amounting to P10 million, Dipolog Feeder port worth P27 million, and a water supply project with a total cost of P10.2 million.

As of 2011, the city’s total income and actual IRA were P519,990,002.04 and P372,399,735.00, respectively.

Presently, the city’s total borrowings against its IRA only account for eight percent. (FPG/PIA-Zamboanga del Norte)

PRC ZamboSur chapter to honor blood galloners today

By Gideon C. Corgue

PAGADIAN CITY, July 31 (PIA) – The Philippine Red Cross, Zamboanga del Sur Chapter will culminate the month-long celebration of Blood Donor’s Month today at 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon at the City Commercial Center (C3) with 1^st Infantry (Tabak) division commander BGen. Ricardo Rainier G. Cruz III as guest of honor and speaker.

PRC administrator Hildaliza F. Muñoz said plaques and certificates of recognition will be presented to the blood donors, sponsors and supporters who continue to give blood and save people in emergency situations.

The blood galloners, namely: Noel Quicoy, Victoria Gutierez, Champrix Galeza, and John Delmar Maglinte who voluntarily donated 450cc of blood for 9 times or a total of 4,050cc each will receive certificates of membership, PRC pin and ID.

The 1^st Infantry (Tabak) division, considered as the “champion” on blood services who donated more than 1,000 bags of blood will also be given a plaque of appreciation.  “The officers and men of the 1^st Infantry division, the highest blood contributor will be given due recognition for their noble act,” Muñoz proudly announced.

Several agencies, offices and groups are also slated to receive certificates of appreciation for the valuable efforts extended to the program.

The activity is in line with the Blood Donors Month which is being celebrated in July. This year’s theme is “Every Blood Donor is a Hero”. (ALT/GCC/PIA9-Zambosur)

Dipolog City Airport PNPASG apprehends rape suspect

By Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY, JULY 31(PIA)---The long arms of the law has caught up with the rape suspect before he could board on his flight back to Manila.

Dipolog City Airport PNP Aviation Security Group Chief, SPO4 Constancio B. Salac identified the suspect as Albert Saldon Y Bagatua, a resident of Dapitan City but presently residing in Metro Manila.

He was the prime suspect of rape case committed 25 years ago in Dapitan City.

Saldon, 36 years old was travelling with his wife and two kids, both girls aging 4 and 5, was about to board on a Cebu Pacific flight bound for Manila on July 26, 2012, when he was apprehended by police authorities inside the Dipolog City Airport terminal building, at about 12:15PM, Thursday.

Dipolog City Airport PNPASG Deputy Chief, SPO3 Arturo G. Mante, who served the arrest warrant, said Saldon admitted to be the person implicated in the rape case and did not show any sign of resistance when handcuffed in the presence of his family.

He was apprehended by virtue of the Warrant of Arrest issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 7 Judge Soledad Acaylar (now retired) for rape in connection with Republic Act 7160.

The initial investigation conducted by SPO3 Mante disclosed that Saldon came home to visit his relatives in Dapitan City and celebrate the patronal fiesta of the city.

Saldon, who was identified as the suspect of a rape committed 15 years ago was able to elude police authorities during that time and went into hiding in Metro Manila when his warrant of arrest was issued.

After the arrest, Dipolog City Airport PNPASG immediately turned-over the suspect to the elements of Dapitan City Police Office who were at the airport when the arrest warrant was served.

Saldon is now presently detained at the Dapitan City Police Office detention cell for proper disposition with no bail bond recommended.(ATR/PIA9-Zambo Norte)

NUTRICOMNET-IX best media practices recognized

By Alma L. Tingcang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 31 - - The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and the FNRI Employees Association, Inc. has recognized Zamboanga Peninsula's Nutrition Communicators Network's best practices in bringing Science and Technology (S&T) closer to the people through food and nutrition promotion using the communications media.

NUTRICOMNET-IX was given recognition for its exemplary and unique media works during the recent 38th FNRI Seminar Series (FSS) at FNRI-DOST in Taguig City by its Director, Mario V. Capanzana, along with FNRI’s top officials.

The certificate of recognition was received for NUTRICOMNET-IX by its president, Philippine Information Agency-IX regional director Noemi B. Edaga.

Two other NUTRICOMNETs from the 16 NUTRICOMNETs nationwide, namely Region 2 and Region 5, were also recognized for their exemplary media works in the promotion of food and nutrition.

The 38th FSS themed "Food and Nutrition R&D - Responding to Challenges of Today, Investing for a Healthier Tomorrow," is hoped to fuel inspiration among NUTRICOMNETs to spur more information drive on food and nutrition promotion using media and its multipliers. (ALT/PIA9-Zambo Sur)

Congresswoman Cerilles officiates oath taking ceremony of WEM/RIC

By Bernadine Astillero-Gabawan

Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, July 31, (PIA) -- The Federated Women Empowerment Movement/Rural Improvement Club (WEM/RIC)  took their oath before Congresswoman Aurora Cerilles of the 2^nd District of Zamboanga del Sur last Friday,  July 27, 2012 at the municipal gymnasium, this municipality.

The mass oath taking was attended by the municipal officials headed by Mayor Leonardo Babasa, Jr., the barangay chairmen together with Marilyn Bersales, Provincial Agriculturist and Arlene Zacal, Provincial Coordinator-WEM/RIC.

The Cong. Cerilles  congratulated the women and emphasized that with women empowerment, there is now equality between men and women to share equally in power.  She urged them to work hard on whatsoever programs they may have in the future because women’s empowerment is vital to sustainable development.

After her message, she distributed tokens to the women including those who attended the program.

After the oath taking ceremony, the lady lawmaker took time to visit  the 800 pupils of Bayog Central Elementary School (BCES) and distribute school supplies.

And then, attended the  Program Orientation and Launching of GULYAN SA KABAHAYAN AT PAARALAN, a Public-Private Partnership between the Province of Zamboanga del Sur and the TVI Resource Development, Philippines Incorporated held at the conference room of BCES, attended by the teachers, school officials and the purok presidents of the municipality. (BAG/PIO-Bayog/CAL/PIA9)