Zambo gov’t prioritizes education; builds 20 school buildings, rehabilitates 24 in 2013

By Jocelyn P. Alvarez

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The city government here will continue to support the education sector as education is one of the priority thrusts of the Climaco Administration aside from security and health.

Mayor Isabelle “Beng” Climaco during her recent State of the City Report said 20 new school buildings were constructed and 24 others were rehabilitated/improved in 2013.

She acknowledged that the accomplishment started at the time of then Mayor Celso Lobregat, now congressman, and that her administration continued where Lobregat left off.

“We continue the thrusts previously started knowing fully well that the realization of these projects will greatly benefit the children of Zamboanga,” the lady mayor said.

Climaco said her vision to “make the children’s future a reality today” remains to be her administration’s clarion call and that the local government will continue to take steps - big and small - to realize this vision for the young sector.

She also bragged of the mini-grandstand and a covered walk the local government had turned-over to the Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Technology (ZSCMST) during her second day of office back in July 2013. She said the said projects were funded through the Congressional Priority Development Fund and the CDF of Councilor Ramos, respectively. (PIA9)

NBI eClearance now available to applicants

By Mary May A. Abellon

DIPOLOG CITY – The Department of Justice informed the public that the application for National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance can be accessible to the public through an online registration system starting today, January 24, 2014.

Applicants for NBI clearance may fill out the complete form online without the hassle and burden of getting their priority numbers and to line up waiting for their turn to be accommodated.

Following the registration online, applicants may proceed directly to any of the fifty-five sites nationwide for payment and biometric enrollment for the release of their clearance.

They may visit www.doj.gov.ph/nbi or www.nbi.gov.ph for the eclearance online registration.

With the implementation of the new NBI system, de Lima said, the agency shall continue to roll-out and implement solutions to progressively eliminate queues and simplify processes.

The NBI clearance system is a component of the flagship National Justice Information System (NJIS) to link and share information among justice sector institutions. (PIA9)

USAID-ENGAGE kicks off in Zambo

The City of Zamboanga and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Thursday, January 23, affirming their mutual intent to support transparency, good governance, and peace and development in Mindanao, through the implementation Enhancing Governance, Accountability and Engagement (ENGAGE) project.

The signing of the MOU signified the commitment of Zamboanga City and four other Western Mindanao local government units (LGUs) to support the ENGAGE project, a five-year USAID/Philippines project which seeks to improve the capacities of LGUs and civil society organizations (CSOs) to build prosperity and stability in Mindanao.

Among the first 10 LGU beneficiaries identified for the first ENGAGE project cycle are Zamboanga City, Isabela City, Lamitan City, the province of Sulu, and the municipality of Jolo.

The agreement was signed by US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, USAID Mission Director Gloria Steele, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Luwalhati Antonio, and the representatives of the five LGU beneficiaries - City Mayor Beng Climaco for Zamboanga City, Councilor Janesa Tubungbanua representing Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar for Isabela City, Mayor Rosita Furigay for Lamitan City, Provincial Board Member Abduradzmezer Burahan representing Governor Abdusakur Tan for Sulu, and Mayor Hussin Amin for Jolo.

“We really need programs of the USAID to teach us citizen participation, stakeholder empowerment, collective and collaborative processes for our constituents to be really involved,” Climaco said as she welcomed the presence of USAID and the ENGAGE project in the City.

“What we want is government transparency and accountability of elected officials who will be at the helm of leadership, to be sure that every fund of national government would trickle down to benefit the most vulnerable citizens of our country,” she added.

The MOU signing ceremony also coincided with the first Mindanao visit of Ambassador Goldberg, who earlier paid his courtesy call to Climaco at City Hall. (Jasmine Mohammadsali)

US envoy calls on Mayor Beng

ZAMBOANGA CITY - City Hall yesterday rolled out a red carpet welcome for newly installed United States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, who was visiting Mindanao, Zamboanga City in particular for the first time.

Ambassador Goldberg together with Gloria Steele of the United States Assistance for International Development (USAID) arrived in City Hall shortly before noontime for a brief meeting with Mayor Beng Climaco.

During the meeting, Mayor Climaco briefed the ambassador about Zamboanga’s recovery and rehabilitation efforts anchored on the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R) under the Build Back Better strategy.

Climaco likewise presented to the ambassador a serigraph of City Hall created by Zamboangueño artist Rameer Tawasil.

Meanwhile, the mayor also reiterated to the new envoy some concerns she raised during the time of Ambassador Harry Thomas  which she said would greatly help in the development efforts in the city and that of the neighboring areas in Mindanao.

These included the request for assistance on the rehabilitation/asphalting of the Airport runway which is also being utilized by American planes/jets as landing site; request for assistance in calibrating airport security and CCTV system; possible training of our 98 Barangays for a Comprehensive Security and Disaster Response Plan; request for provision of technical expertise to fully activate our City Command Center  (911 System) for emergency response and possible programs and partnerships with the City Government thru the USAID and other agencies of the US Government to sustain the livelihood of Internally Displaced and other programs.

“Over the years, the support of your government has been an integral part of the development in Mindanao. Our administration puts premium on Security, Health and Education programs and these priorities also form part of your agenda,” the mayor said. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Journey to dialogue is a token of trust- Beng

ZAMBOANGA CITY - “When we accept the journey to dialogue, it is not the material things that count, but it is a token of trust, of communion, of reaching out, and of friendship from one spirit to another, from one human being to another, and from one individual to another.”

Thus, how Mayor Beng Climaco inspired the teachers attending the workshop on teaching and facilitating a dialogue yesterday morning at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) High School in Tumaga.

Climaco said in her seven months in office as mayor of Zamboanga City she had gone through series of human and natural disasters, foremost of which were the flashfloods, the September siege and lately the kidnapping of a teacher.

“It might be unique to other cities, but we have to face the challenge,” Mayor Beng said as she narrated a story of Clarissa, a Sama Dilaut girl, who years ago gifted her with a miniature vinta sail as a symbol of friendship.

In 2013 election period, Climaco said she gave Clarissa’s vinta sail to then senator and presidential aspirant PNoy during a campaign sortie in Zamboanga City with a message in Tagalog: “Kasama ko ikaw sa paglalakbay.”

“Clarissa’s story is about trying to reach out to other people to form what we call a bridge of unity,” Climaco told the workshop participants. “Here we are my dear educators trying to rebuild the souls, the spirits, the minds, and the bodies of children and families affected by disasters,” she added.

“Why will we allow others to come and take away our homes? Why will we allow others to come and steal our teachers? Zamboanga is ours. Zamboanga belongs to our children and we all have the responsibility to ensure that Zamboanga can give a brighter, a better future for our children so that we will be able to build back a better Zamboanga,” the lady chief executive said.

Present was Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, founder of Silsillah Dialogue Movement, which co-sponsored the workshop with ADZU and another non-government organization. (Vic Larato)

MBFI opens 30th search for outstanding teachers

By Mary May A. Abellon

DIPOLOG CITY – Teachers from public and private schools in elementary, secondary and higher education levels are encouraged to join the 30^th Search for Outstanding Teachers (SOT) this year by the Metrobank Foundation, Incorporated (MBFI).

Anchored on the theme, “Launching Dreams towards Nation Building,” the search gives distinction and tribute to outstanding teachers of the country for their unswerving commitment to the advancement of the youth through their hard work, perseverance, competence and effective educational leadership.  

 

The search, which highlights MBFI’s 35^th anniversary, is open to Filipino teachers with valid PRC license and in active teaching for the last 10 years at any school in the country.

Interested applicants are required to submit a two-page Basic Information Sheet (BIS) with no additional documents on or before Jan. 27, 2014 to the nearest Metrobank branch.

Eligible applicants will then be asked to submit their official nomination forms on Feb. 21 this year.

Each elementary school is only entitled to nominate one teacher for primary education (from kinder to grade three) and one nominee for intermediate education (from grade four to grade six).

Likewise, each secondary and higher education institution is only allowed to nominate one candidate.

However, previous regional and national finalists with good moral standing in the community are automatically considered provincial finalists.

Ten teachers will be chosen and will each receive a cash prize of P500 thousand and a medal plus a trophy and a plaque of recognition for their schools. All national finalists shall also receive a cash prize of P20 thousand each while the regional finalists will be receiving P10 thousand each. (PIA9)

Pagadian mayor hails support to “Pasalamat Festival 2014”

By Gideon C. Corgue

PAGADIAN CITY – Mayor Romeo Pulmones here has credited the success of the recently concluded “Pasalamat Festival 2014” to the collective efforts of the police, military, government agencies, civilians and other stakeholders. 

“The presence of uniformed personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Army (PA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and Maritime Police (MP) and the support extended by the Bantay Bayan and civilians have made the weeklong celebration peaceful, Mayor Pulmones said in an interview.

The yearly “Pasalamat Festival” highlights the city fiesta celebration in honor of its patron saint, the Holy Child Jesus (Sto. Niño), which is celebrated every third Sunday of January, capped by street dancing, fluvial parade(regatta), sea games, trade fair, and concelebrated Mass.  

Pulmones said uniformed personnel of PNP, PA, PCG, and MP were distributed to their respective assignments to provide security to public especially in areas where the major events/activities were held.

The PNP has also fielded confidential agents and officers in plain clothes to blend with the crowd.  

“The crowd was overwhelming. We are very grateful to our Almighty that He guided us in all of our activities and fortunately no untoward incident took place during the fiesta,” the mayor pointed out.

Pasalamat festival chair Vice Mayor Divina Grace Yu also thanked the vendors for their contribution in making the celebration peaceful.

“Prior to the celebration, we asked vendors to help the police in maintaining peace and order by reporting immediately any suspicious things placed on the streets such as bags, cartoons, etc.,” she said.

“A big crowd is always expected during the street dancing, as it is one of the highlights of the parochial fiesta celebration. So, we asked their help because the people would gather on the major thoroughfares to watch the street dancing,” Vice Mayor Yu said adding that “peace is not only a police work, but it is everybody’s concern.”

This year’s fiesta celebration has for its theme, “Pagdayeg sa Batang Hesus: Kadasig sa mga Layko, Kalauman sa Kabag-ohan sa Katilingban (Praising the Child Jesus: An Encouragement for Laymen, a Hope for Reforms in Society). (PIA9) 

Pantawid Pamilya expands coverage to 15-18 years old

By Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY - Children of the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) belonging to set one or those who were enrolled at the beginning of the implementation of the program aging 0-18 years old will be covered under its expansion program effective 2014.

Mr. Jose Cruz, Zamboanga del Norte 4Ps provincial link, said during the recent Kapihan sa Dipolog radio program that under National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAC) Resolution No. 12 series of 2013, which the local DSWD office recently received, the program will now include children beneficiaries aged 15-18 years old to help them in their high school studies.

Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), however, said the department will start giving the P500 cash grant to the children of 4Ps beneficiaries who are studying in high school effective school year 2014-2015.

Cruz pointed out that the expansion program will be implemented after another round of validation to be undertaken by DSWD to verify if the said children are still in the custody of the program beneficiaries.

Under the 4Ps expansion program, the child-beneficiary who will be studying in high school will be entitled to receive a monthly financial assistance of P500, less the health benefit earlier granted to households who have been covered by the program for five years with no more children enrolled in elementary.

Presently, the program provides education grants to more than 7 million children aged 3-14 belonging to more than 3.8 million households.

Under the approved P63-billion budget of DSWD for Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program for 2014, the house and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) have included, as part of the poverty alleviation program of the government, children of 4Ps beneficiaries aging up to 18 years old. 

Cruz said Zamboanga del Norte has a total of 62,898 beneficiaries under set one from the municipalities of Sibuco, Baliguian, Gutalac, Leon Postigo, Manukan, Roxas, Katipunan, Sindangan. Siayan, Jose Dalman, Godod, and Sergio Osmeña.

Cruz clarified that they have not yet received the guidelines from NAC for the implementation of the 4Ps expansion program. (PIA9)

Zambo mayor lauds city’s medalists in Southeast Asian Games

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar yesterday commended five Zamboangueño athletes for giving the city an honor in the field of international sports after they reaped medals from the 27^th Southeast Asian Games held on Dec. 11-22, 2013 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

The athletes are Hidilyn Diaz and Margarito Angana Jr., both silver medalists in Women’s Wresting and Wrestling Greco Roman Men’s 55 kg., respectively; Joseph Angana, bronze medalist in Wresting Freestyle Category Men’s 66 kg., Jhonny Morte, bronze medalist in Wrestling Freestyle Category Men’s 60 kg., and Iris Rañola, bronze medalist in Women’s 10-Ball Pool Single.

City Sports Officer Bernardito Patiño presented the athletes to Mayor Climaco during the flag raising ceremony yesterday morning at the City Hall grounds.

He said the athletes are entitled to cash incentives from the city government pursuant to an ordinance granting monetary benefits to local athletes who can reap medals from local, national and international sports competitions.

The grant of cash incentives is part of the city’s government’s sports development program aimed at attracting the youths to play and excel in sports of their choice, thereby keeping them away from unproductive, let alone criminal activities.

Under the cash incentive ordinance, the city government will give P100 thousand and P75 thousand for silver medal and bronze medal, respectively, from the international sports competition such as the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games.

The city is now processing the necessary documents for the cash incentives of the named athletes. (PIA9) 

DTI-9 to boost Shared Service Facility program with P46-M budget for 2014

By Michael Vincent D. Cajulao

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-9’s assistance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) just got better with an increase in the budget allocation for the Shared Service Facilities (SSF) program, almost doubling that of last year.

DTI-9 chief Dr. Sitti Amina Jain, in a press release, revealed that the 2014 budget is P46 million, roughly 70 percent higher than the P27.12 million allocation last year, giving the agency more opportunity to help uplift the SMEs in the region.

“With this bigger budget, we should be able to help more SMEs in the region which are needful of government support in acquiring needed equipment, tools or machinery to improve their production,” Doctor Jain said.

However, Jain clarified that the project or assistance is not for individual SME but for groups or duly registered SME organizations as the project’s name implies.

Jain said they will be targeting high impact projects that would result in more job creation. This project also aims to help SMEs to come up with better value added products for added income.

“In our selection criteria, poverty alleviation through jobs creation is paramount in view of this government’s commitment for inclusive growth. Walang iwanan (no one be left out) as our Secretary succinctly puts it in his marching orders to us in the field,” Jain pointed.

Last year, the DTI had officially launched the SSF in the region with Zamboanga City as the pilot area, benefiting nine cooperatives with over P3-million worth of assistance. This was part of the 67 projects the DTI targeted all over the region in 2013 to address the gaps in the value chain of priority clusters by providing processing or manufacturing equipment, tools and machinery.

DTI will also strictly monitor all beneficiaries to make sure that the project serves its purpose.

“Our work doesn’t stop there once the projects are established. We have to monitor and document the progress of each, making sure that they are used and that they deliver the benefits as planned,” the DTI-9 chief said. (PIA9)

PRC-Sibugay conducts first aid, basic life support training

By Emmanuel D. Taghoy

MALANGAS, Zamboanga Sibugay - The Philippine Red Cross (PRC)-Zamboanga  Sibugay chapter conducted recently First Aid and Basic Life Support Training to students of Western Mindanao State University (WMSU)-Malangas Campus.

The training, composed of lecture and practical examination for standard first aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), catered to more or less 60 student-participants from the Criminology Department of WMSU-Malangas.

“We have only expected a maximum of 30 students participating in the event, but more came than what we have expected. It only proves their interest in the training,” said Philippine Red Cross Administrator Hilario G. Miranda Jr. in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

The agency provided four lecturers for the three-day activity which included day and evening sessions to tackle every aspect of the training.

Miranda explained that the training is a requisite for every college institution and it is very important especially to schools far from hospitals to be able to respond to any emergency.

He also added that it was not the first time that the PRC held such an activity in WMSU-Malangas.

“We have chosen WMSU-Malangas campus for the training as per request of the school. It was not the first time. We had several trainings at WMSU-Malangas because the school is also actively participating in our blood donation activities.”

WMSU-Malangas bagged PRC’s “Bloodiest School” award for Zamboanga Sibugay in 2013 for actively participating in the agency’s bloodletting activities.

Miranda hinted that this year WMSU-Malangas might still get the award. (PIA9)

Zambo mayor lauds city’s medalists in Southeast Asian Games

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar yesterday commended five Zamboangueño athletes for giving the city an honor in the field of international sports after they reaped medals from the 27^th Southeast Asian Games held on Dec. 11-22, 2013 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

The athletes are Hidilyn Diaz and Margarito Angana Jr., both silver medalists in Women’s Wresting and Wrestling Greco Roman Men’s 55 kg., respectively; Joseph Angana, bronze medalist in Wresting Freestyle Category Men’s 66 kg., Jhonny Morte, bronze medalist in Wrestling Freestyle Category Men’s 60 kg., and Iris Rañola, bronze medalist in Women’s 10-Ball Pool Single.

City Sports Officer Bernardito Patiño presented the athletes to Mayor Climaco during the flag raising ceremony yesterday morning at the City Hall grounds.

He said the athletes are entitled to cash incentives from the city government pursuant to an ordinance granting monetary benefits to local athletes who can reap medals from local, national and international sports competitions.

The grant of cash incentives is part of the city’s government’s sports development program aimed at attracting the youths to play and excel in sports of their choice, thereby keeping them away from unproductive, let alone criminal activities.

Under the cash incentive ordinance, the city government will give P100 thousand and P75 thousand for silver medal and bronze medal, respectively, from the international sports competition such as the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games.

The city is now processing the necessary documents for the cash incentives of the named athletes. (Vic Larato)