THE MINDANAO POST APRIL 25-26 2023

RIMINOLOGY CRIMINOLOGY C

Manolo Fortich 2023 winners

THE winner of this year’s Binibining Manolo Fortich were Rianne Mae Getuaban, representing Macky Oil and Gas, Binibining Manolo Fortich;

Eriel Indira Albarece, representing Maluko and Tankulan, 1st runnerup; and Charmain Ann Binayao, representing Guilang-Guilang and

Santiagao, 2nd runnerup.

Recipients of the special awards were best in gown – Rianne Mae Getuaban; best in swim-

wear – Chairmain Ann Binayao; Best in casual wear – Chairmain Ann Binayao; best in modern Filipiniana – Shane Roshyll Obsioma; best

in local costume – Eriel Indira Albarece; Binibining Friendship – Krista Pitao; Binibining Photogenic – Charmain

MANOLO | P2

The binukid term for a ‘GLIMPSE OF SOMETHING’ is 'PINILIYAPAN'. Piniliyapan Hu Bukidnon offers a peek of what Bukidnon is all about. Through a grand showcase of tribal music and dances accompanied by powerful movements and strong beats of indigenous percussions—depicting tales of valiant warriors, traditional courtship, important rituals, and community life—visitors and young locals alike became acquainted with the province's rich cultural heritage at the Kaamulan Open Theater on Friday night, April 21, 2023.(DOT-NorthMin)

The winner of this year’s Binibining Manolo Fortich are Rianne Mae Getuaban, Binibining Manolo Fortich; Eriel Indira Albarece, 1st runner-up; and Charmain Ann Binayao, 2nd runner-up. (Photo courtesy of Ceazar Ian Guanizo via the Binibining Manolo Fortich FB page)

MANOLO,

from p1..

Ann Binayao, Best Advocacy Statement – Rianne Mae Getuaban; The corporate awardees were: Dahilayan Adventure Park Ambassadress – Izraphel Kristine Saavedra; Seven Seas Waterpark Resort Ambassadress – Krista Pitao; Dahilayan Alphine Village Ambassadress – Krista Pitao; Pinegrove Mountain Lodge Ambassadress – Ma. Chynna Lyca Corbita; Dahilayan Forest Park Ambassadress – Eriel Indira Albarece; Foto Feliz Ambassadress – Krista Pitao; Beauty Shears Ambassadress – Charmain Ann Binayao; Dunkin Donut Ambassadress – Charmain Ann Binayao; Manolo Emission Testing Center Plus Trade School – Krista C. Pitao; Napoles Dental Care Ambassadress – Ma. Chynna Lyca Corbita; Kayzel Beauty Clinic Ambassadress – Charmain Ann Binayao; Ambrocios Snack-Inn Ambassadress – Charmain Ann Binayao; Chintzy’s Cafe Ambassadress – Krista Pitao; Bugemco Ambassadress –Rayca Mae Jorquia; Toyota Valencia City Ambassadress –Krista Pitao; Jinky’s Catering Ambassadress – Krista Pitao; Prince Hypermart Ambassadress – Eriel Indira Albarece. (Text courtesy of the Binibining Manolo Fortich FB page)

NEW EXEC VOWS MORE PIPELINES

Oro folk urge COWD: Fix city's water woes

By Franck Dick Rosete Correspondent

SEVERAL residents in this city don’t want to suffer the continuous problem in the water supply, knowing the struggle they have to go through that affects their daily lives.

Because of this, they demanded that the government-run Cagayan de Oro City Water District (COWD) solve the problem as soon as possible.

Bretlane Marianas, a resident of Sitio Macanhan in Barangay Carmen, said nighttime should be their moment to relax and unwind, but it turned out to be their time to secure all of their drums for water storage.

Normally, the water connection at the Marianas’ residence

temporarily vanishes around 6:00 in the morning, and it usually goes back around 9:00 in the evening at the latest.

“It would be better if we collected water during the morning, but we finish at dawn because when [the water supply] has returned, it’s like a pee,” Marianas said.

“We even stopped doing our laundry every morning because we do it at night until dawn,” she added.

Marianas said they already contacted the COWD about the problem since last year, but the problem has not been solved.

The neighboring residents in the said area have also been experiencing no water supply every morning, but it normally returns around noon.

“[The water supply]

returns around 12 noon and allows us to collect one drum, then it vanishes again. Then it would return around 10:00 in the evening,” said Claudine Claire Bengal, living a few houses away from the residence of Marianas.

Engr. Antonio Young, COWD general manager, explained that every morning is a “peak hour” due to the number of residents who use water supply, adding the excess water lines per stub-outs.

“In one stub-out, the maximum would be 20 [waterlines]… sometimes it would reach 25 or 30”,” Young said in a phone interview on Wednesday, April 19.

The general manager said they considered the additional number of water lines per stub-out

as their way to help the householders who just applied for a water connection, considering the cost it would take if they built a new one.

To address the issue, the COWD will provide additional lines, but Young asked COWD’s clients to be more patient as it requires a lot of process.

Earlier Wednesday, Young and another COWD high-ranking official attended the “Meet the Press” media forum of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club and also explained the causes of the water supply problem in this city for the past week.

Young said there was a waterline in the Barangay Puerto area that was hit by a contractor of a government project, which caused water interruption in the barangays of Bugo and Gusa.

The COWD’s water supplier, Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Incorporated (COBI), also experienced a technical problem on their plant site starting on April 13 and on the following days, which the water flow has been slowed down.

COBI supplies 80,000 cubic meters of water here per day, of which 60,000 come from Barangay Carmen to Opol town in Misamis Oriental and 20,000 come from the eastern part of the city. But the problem has been solved now, Young said.

The COWD has already coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways to avoid any damage to the water lines with the agency’s ongoing projects.

The said office also asked its water supplier

to come up with a backup plan just in case there was a technical problem to avoid water interruptions.

Councilor Romeo Calizo, chairman of the city council’s committee on public utilities, made a special report on Monday, April 17, expressing the problem with the water supply raised by the residents of this city.

The city council wanted the top officials of the COWD present at the next session as they wanted to determine the real situation of the water supply in Cagayan de Oro.

Young said he still had not received any communication from the city council, but he is very willing to attend the next session to answer the queries of the members of the council.

(MT)

Clad to ethnic costumes, dancers from different areas in Bukidnon perform during a street dancing competition, one of the major events of the Kaamulan Festival in Malaybalay City Saturday, April 22. Only the cities of Malaybalay and Valencia and the town of Kalilangan have joined the contest while other municipalities have performed as non-contestants. (Jigger Jerusalem | MT)

Oro dev’t youth office bows to SK plans

By Uriel Quilinguing Contributing Editor

WHILE plans are crafted by the Oro Youth Development Office (OYDO) at City Hall, yet village youth councils (Sangguniang Kabataan or SK) in Cagayan de Oro set their own priorities, based on specific real and felt needs.

Lord Savior Centina, OYDO head, clarified this in a Philippine Information Agency forum at the SM City Uptown mall Wednesday last week, after his disclosure on the formulation of the city’s Youth Development Plan for 2023-2025.

Centina said the threeyear YDP is the product of consultation series they and the SK City Federation had at the community level since last year. It will be presented next month to the City Council for approval and adoption.

“But the new SK officers may come up with their own development plans,” said the youth development officer, citing peculiarities which should be taken into account to make the document truly responsive.

He said OYDO would refrain from getting involved with SK elections set October 30 this year, by suggesting to candidates what their political platforms or youth development agenda should be.

He said youth leaders in villages within the city’s urban and semi-urban areas may put garbage collection and disposal as their top priority, but this may not be true in upland and rural villages.

Security concerns, the OYDO chief said, may also vary, depending on prevailing threats such as drug addition, gang wars, drag-racing, and other petty crimes.

Centina, however, maintained plans must be aligned with the National Youth Commission’s (NYC) nine identified centers of youth participation, as embodied in the Philippine Youth Development Plan 2017-2022.

He enumerated these centers of youth participation as health, education, economic empowerment, social inclusion and equity, peace-building and security, active citizenship, governance, environment, and global mobility.

In the PYDP 2023-2025 which the NYC has adopted, the nine youth participation centers have been clustered into four, the youth commission posted in its Facebook wall.

In the same forum, Ezel Lambatan, Agricultural Productivity Operations Office (APOO) spokesperson, presented the trophy that a Cagayan de Orobased youth organization received last March 11, this year.

The Bayanihan sa Agrikultura para sa Kabatanonan, Kaumahan, ug Katubigan (Collective in Agriculture for the Youth, Farms and Water Bodies) or The BAKA, where Lambatan served as program director, was adjudged as Ten Accomplished Youth Organization (TAYO) national awardee.

TAYO Awards, which recognizes and supports

the outstanding contributions of youth organizations in the Philippines, started in 2012 and used to be a flagship program of the NYC until 2019.

Meanwhile, OYDO has been supporting The BAKA in its year-long program to capacitate the youth on value-chain workshops and activities, agriculture-

fisheries inputs, business planning, marketing, and leadership trainings.

The BAKA members are in 29 chapters with linkages of 4-H (Head, Heart, Heart, Health) Clubs, mostly belonging to the out-of-school youth sector, aged 30 years old and below.

They had availed of

trainings in 10 Agriculture Training Instituteaccredited learning sites in Cagayan de Oro.

Data from the Community Based Management System (CBMS) show Cagayan de Oro had over 172 thousand OSYs in 2020.

Centina said OYDO has been assisting OSYs and

all eligible members of the youth sector get the education and trainings they need, avail of scholarships, as well as getting gainfully employed.

OYDO also seeks to empower village youth leaders (SK officials), provide leadership trainings, and encourage meaningful participation. (MT)

Residents of Tugaya in Lanao del Sur are intently listening to the imam preach after offering the Eid'l Fitr prayer at the town’s mosque. (JND | PIA-10 | Lanao del Sur)

The guns of August (4th of 4 parts)

Gringo Honasan, they had occupied some portions of Camp Aguinaldo through the South Gate. By 11:30 pm, military rebels had occupied several tall buildings, including the Department of National Defense.

rebel soldiers.

During the fighting, Montano observed that rebel troops had established their stronghold at the DND building just 100 meters away from GHQ.

nearby.

“Fire another round,” Col. Nazareno said. The trooper fired and this time it was bull’s eye.

Another unforgettable experience I had as a journalist was when I covered the failed coup d’etat staged by rebel soldiers against the government of President Corazon C. Aquino on August 28, 1987, eighteen months after she assumed the presidency following a fourday People Power revolution that toppled the 20-year regime of President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

The rebel soldiers who called themselves Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) led by charismatic Army Col. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan attacked Camp Aguinaldo, the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in suburban Quezon City, Metro Manila, and partially occupied some strategic areas.

The RAM was the same faction of rebel soldiers that participated in the People Power uprising way back on Feb. 22-25, 1986.

The violent uprising on August 28, 1987 nearly toppled the fledgling government of President Aquino were it not for the timely counteraction by loyal military troops led by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Fidel V. Ramos. Previous coup attempts were also nipped in the bud.

On the third week of August 1987, reports of yet another coup intensified in the military camps, but the intelligence could not pinpoint the exact date on which the plotters would hit.

A day or two before the coup, Maj. Gen. Renato S. De Villa, Constabulary chief, also received an intelligence report that military rebels would come from Fort Magsaysay, the largest military reservation of the Armed Forces based in

Nueva Ecija and some 200 kilometers north of Metro Manila.

Gen. De Villa immediately relayed the information to Gen. Ramos, who quickly planned a pre-emptive counteraction. He alerted the 5th Army Division to verify the report of a coup. He also told Brig. Gen. Ramon E, Montano, deputy AFP chief of staff for operations (J3), to go with him to Fort Magsaysay early morning of August 28 to check the situation themselves.

But on the evening of the 27th, Gen. Montano confirmed reports that more than 2,000 heavily armed soldiers were spotted by government forces that have passed Sta. Maria, Bulacan, taking the North Diversion Highway going towards Manila. The soldiers were on board dozens of 6X6 trucks and three tanks. President Aquino’s visit to Central Luzon on that day was aborted because of the unauthorized movement of troops.

Gen. Montano figured out that the rebel soldiers would strike in half an hour. “They will hit tonight,” he told his colleagues in Camp Aguinaldo.

Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla, Sr., Army chief, immediately dispatched five tanks to reinforce the AFP headquarters.

The rebel soldiers first tried to enter Gate 1 of Camp Aguinaldo, but Col. Emiliano Templo, who was backed up by a squad of soldiers and a V-150 armored vehicle, tried to convince the rebel troops to move out. However, with more men and superior firepower, the rebels forced their way and successfully took over a few areas.

Numbering about two battalions, including 600 Army Scout Rangers led by Col.

I remembered knocking off from my beat at Camp Aguinaldo earlier that night of August 27. I passed by Gate 1 and exchanged a smile of recognition with two sentries on duty whose relaxed mood never gave away a hint of a coup in the offing.

However, at 6 a.m. on August 28, I woke up to a blaring coverage over radio station DZRH of an ongoing coup by rebel soldiers. The frantic voice of my colleague Bing Formento was describing the attack on the General Headquarters.

At that point, I called up our news desk in the Philippines News Agency about the ongoing coup. I was told they were monitoring the incident. I hurriedly dressed up and proceeded to Camp Aguinaldo which is about eight kilometers away from my residence.

As I stepped out of our house, I saw the sound of aircraft flying from a distance – three “Tora-Tora” or T-28 planes and a couple of helicopters which I figured out were over Camp Aguinaldo.

I found out that all vehicles going toward the besieged camp were re-routed upon reaching Cubao, the business district of Quezon City. I had to walk more than a kilometer to reach Camp Aguinaldo. But I could not enter because all gates were padlocked.

I waited and loitered around and through my contacts I learned that several top military officials were holed out at the AFP Headquarters. They were Brig. Gen. Montano, Lt. Gen. Eduardo R. Ermita, AFP vice chief of staff, and Brig. Gen. Orlando Antonio, deputy chief of staff for civil military operations.

By dawn the rebels had surrounded the GHQ building, triggering a fierce gun battle with government forces. On the other hand, government troops had consolidated their forces and clashed with the

Gen. Ramos whose command post was in Camp Crame just across Camp Aguinaldo was continually updated of the fighting. He ordered Gen. Ermita and Gen. Montano to hold their positions as intense fighting between government forces and rebel soldiers raged when the right wing of the four-storey GHQ building caught fire.

Compounding the situation was that rebel snipers had taken strategic positions that “we had to crawl towards the left side of the building, otherwise we would have been roasted alive,” Montano said.

Fortunately for the government forces, rebel soldiers forgot to cut off the telephone lines when they entered the camp. Gen. Ramos took the opportunity and immediately called up Gen. Montano to inform the latter that the planned counter-attack that night was moved the following day from 11 a.m. to 12 noon as consolidation of troops continued.

In the meantime, the security at MalacaÑang, the presidential palace, was assured by prompt actions of the Presidential Security Group under Col. Voltaire Gazmin, supported by GHQ reserve forces under Marine Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Biazon.

The whole morning I was at the intersection of Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) and Col. Bonnie Serrano Avenue waiting for the massive counter-attack when I saw Col. Cesar Nazareno of the PC-INP, supervising the deployment of his troops. I took the occasion to interview him inquiring about the time of the counter-attack.

“We are just waiting for the order to move in,” he told me.

Then at about 11:45 a.m., Col. Nazareno received the order from Gen. Ramos to launch the counter-attack. He ordered a soldier armed with a 90 Recoiless Rifle (90RR) to fire at Gate 2. The first salvo missed and hit a coconut tree

But before government forces could move in, rebel troops who were holed up in the three-storey AFPSLAI building beside Gate 2 undetected overlooking where government forces were deployed, opened fire with their automatic rifles.

Immediately, an exchange of gunfire ensued as pandemonium broke loose in the street where civilians, including myself and fellow reporter Roy Sinfuego of the Manila Bulletin, were caught in the crossfire.

There were explosions from M79 grenades as we ran for our lives! Just behind me a civilian shouted for help. I continued running when I saw a man who fell to the ground with blood oozing from his right leg.

“Please help me,” he said. Instinctively, disregarding the gunfire and grenade explosions all over, some civilians and I picked up the wounded man and carried him to a house nearby where he was given first aid after which we called an ambulance.

The rebel soldiers adamantly held their ground as fierce fighting raged. “ToraTora” planes were called in and strafed rebel positions, dislodging them.

It was the turning point of the military’s counter-offensive, crushing the coup.

(He covered the defense and military beat for over 40 years. He had the privileged to have covered the Mindanao War in the 1970s and 1980s when former President Fidel V. Ramos was Constabulary Chief; later as Armed Forces Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Defense Secretary. Ben is the longest reporter who had the privileged to cover Ramos from October 1974 until July 2023. He wrote three books about Ramos as a military officer, as President and even after his retirement from government service as he remained active in serving the country a private citizen.)

Business&Oppornunity

DAR-10 preps for Project SPLIT implementation

By Jan Albert Araña CAGAYAN DE ORO

CITY

–

In preparation for the implementation of its Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling program, or Project SPLIT, the Department of Agrarian Reform-10 (DAR10) conducted an orientation for its information officers and partners through a two-day stakeholders workshop on April 12–13.

“The Department of Agrarian Reform launched the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project with the aim of improving land tenure security and establishing property rights of some 1,140,735 agrarian reform

beneficiaries nationwide,” said Seny Fabe, DAR-10 assistant regional director for operations.

Fabe added that the implementation of the project would help realize the completion of the Philippines’ land reform program and seeks to subdivide a total area of more or less 1,368,883 hectares of landholdings nationwide covered by the Collective Certificate of Land Ownership Award.

The two-day workshop was conducted to further enhance the capacity of DAR provincial employees and information officers as to the roles of the different national agencies, such as the Department of Interior and Local Government,

DTI-MisOcc builds up LGU competitiveness in 2023 CMCI confab

By Shaine Mae Nagtalon

OZAMIZ CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry-Misamis Occidental (DTI-MisOcc) reinforced its support for local government units to improve their competitiveness in government efficiency, economic dynamism, infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation during the 2023 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) Meeting and Data Consolidation Forum at Royal Garden here on April 12.

In coordination with the city government of Ozamiz, DTI-MisOcc held the 2023 CMCI Meeting and Data Consolidation Forum at Royal Garden, Ozamiz City, which aimed to improve LGU rankings in all five pillars to have a higher overall competitiveness score.

Luz Galda, DTI-MisOcc provincial director, said that the competitiveness score is a vital component in attracting investors. Cities and municipalities are ranked in their competitiveness based on an overall competitiveness score.

“To all of you here, we need your cooperation so that the ranking of your respective cities and municipalities will be more attractive to investors in order to generate more jobs, which will redound to economic growth. Let us remember that rising competitiveness is rising prosperity,” Galda said.

Meanwhile, Engr. Esmael Larubis, CMCI enu-

the National Commission of Indigenous People, the Department of Information and Communication Technology, and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, to the successful implementa-

tion of Project SPLIT and to capacitate them as they cascade said project to the different agrarian reform beneficiaries and local government units within each area of responsibilities.

The forum also paves

the way so that all the agencies involved can interact and answer some queries from DAR personnel to better understand some concerns, especially in implementing Project SPLIT.

DAR hopes that the Project SPLIT implementation will be successful for the benefit of all its beneficiaries, not just in the region but the entire nation. (JAKA | PIA-10)

merator from La Salle University, explained in detail how the local government units can have a perfect score in each pillar.

He discussed the 2023 CMCI survey orientation, CMCI overview, CMCI’s five pillars/indicators, 2023 local data capture sheet (LDCS), the work plan, and strategies.

“Ang pinaka goal aning CMCI for our province is actually to put our province in the spotlight for the investor, and if we put our province in the spotlight for the investor, we will be actually lifting everyone from poverty, especially those who don’t have any job, and somehow we can help them so that they by themselves can have a better opportunity for living,” Larubis said.

The CMCI survey in 2023 is an annual ranking of the Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and designed to capture four key competitiveness pillars, namely, government efficiency, economic dynamism, infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation.

Further, it is implemented by the DTI Competitiveness Bureau (DTIBC), which annually ranks local government units (LGUs) at the provincial, city, and municipal levels based on the data gathered and processed to determine their competitiveness ranking. (SMRN | PIA-10 | Misamis Occidental)

SUFFICIENT SUPPLY. Fish vendors at a Quezon City market reported stable or decreased prices on Monday (April 24, 2023), thanks to a steady supply. A kilo of fresh galunggong is sold at PHP160 to PHP200; tambakol, PHP120 to PHP140; maya-maya, PHP220; dalagang bukid, PHP200; tulingan, PHP180; and matambaka, PHP150. (PNA photo by Ben Briones)

New RoRo ferry to boost maritime tourism in Visayas

MANILA – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on Monday said the new Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) ferry service of a shipping firm would boost maritime tourism and provide more access to shipping services between the provinces of Cebu and Bohol as well as nearby areas.

In a news release issued Monday, Lite Shipping Corporation unveiled MV Lite Ferry Seven during an event in Tagbilaran City on April 22.

The new RoRo ferry has a capacity of 300 passengers, 18 ten-wheeler trucks and 10 cars.

The vessel, built in China and completed in 2022, features standard and tourist accommodations classed by RINA of Italy.

During the event, MARINA Administrator Hernani Fabia said the launch marks a major milestone in the city's continued growth as a tourist destination in

Bohol.

"The MARINA, through the Maritime Industry Development Plan, is determined to build a strong foundation and create more catalysts for the development of maritime tourism in the Philippines," Fabia said in his speech.

With Lite Shipping Corporation's fleet expansion, MARINA granted pioneering status to MV Lite Ferry Seven in the Oslob, Cebu to Dapitan City and Dipolog City routes.

The shipping corporation's ferries operate in 32 destinations, bridging the provinces of Sorsogon, Samar, Northern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Siquijor, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, and Zamboanga del Norte as part of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway. (PR)

The streets of Pine Hills in Malaybalay City are packed with cheering locals and visitors raring for a glimpse of the spectacular street dancing competition, float parade, and indigenous performances on Saturday, April 22, as part of the Kaamulan Festival's glorious return in 2023. This grand spectacle in honor of the seven tribes who thrived in the breathtaking Bukidnon highlands truly provided an incredible cultural treat for those in attendance. (Department of Tourism - Northern Mindanao Office)

Klarex admin revives ‘OKK’ center

By Franck Dick Rosete Correspondent

THIS city will soon again have a center where people can more easily raise their concerns in terms of security and ask for government assistance, as the local government here starts to revive its new “Operation Kahusay ug Kalinaw” (OKK) center.

Local officials of Cagayan de Oro led the groundbreaking and capsule-laying ceremony of phase 1 of the Divisoria Redevelopment Project, including the establishment of the previously called OKK Center and now the Resilience Center on Thursday, April 20.

City Mayor Rolando Uy said the rebirth of OKK Center must still be in Divisoria, the center of the city, as an area that became the center of business in the previous years.

“And now that I was given a chance, I tried my

best to revive the OKK for preparation and for providing an easy process for the people in asking for assistance,” Uy said in his message during the groundbreaking at Divisoria here.

OKK is the centralized police station in downtown Divisoria that was significant to the city’s peace and order situation in the early 1990s under the administration of the late former Mayor Pablo Magtajas.

It can be recalled that around July last year, Uy promised to revive the OKK due to the series of crime incidents in the city. Apart from the station of the police authorities, the new Resilience Center will also house various city hall offices, including the City Social Welfare Development Office, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department, the Roads, and Traffic Administration, and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

MinDA exec meets with USTP Claveria head on smart agri park

CAGAYAN DE ORO

CITY – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), through its Lordilie Enjambre, Area Management Office-Northern Mindanao officer-in-charge, met with officials from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) Claveria Campus, headed by Chancellor Renato Arazo, to discuss the establishment of Agropolic Science and Technology Park in Claveria, Misamis Oriental. The establishment of the park will institutionalize the innovation ecosystem of the university, which will significantly help in developing new technologies responsive to the needs of the industry

and the economy.

USTP is in the process of formulation plans primarily to bridge the gaps for the protection, conservation, and development of an environment in support to the promotion of the agriculture sector in the locality and neighboring areas.

MinDA is one of the project’s partner stakeholders who will assist in the development plans, taking into account the needs and development aspirations of the local government units of Claveria, Gingoog, Magsaysay, Medina, and Tagoloan, as well as the development programs of national line agencies. (MinDA)

Engr. Jenito Asequia, chief of the City Engineering Office, said phase 1 of the Divisoria Redevelopment Project, which will cover Magsaysay Park, and the Resilience Center, is expected to be finished on June 10 this year.

Uriel Quilinguing, a veteran Cagayan de Orobased journalist who served as the editor-in-

chief of the Gold Star Daily from 1988 to 1995, said the OKK Center during those years provided a relative and fast response to people’s concerns.

“Remember, there was no internet or cellular phones at that time in the 1980s. There was a direct telephone line (Misortel). There were standby police patrol vehicles, ambulance

vehicles, and fire trucks if there were fire incidents,” Quilinguing said.

The OKK center, Quilinguing added, was a 24/7 peace and order and public assistance center, and he recalled that different news outlets during those times were also staying 24/7 in the OKK center for direct coverage.

The city government,

through the establishment of the Resilience Center, is ready to help at any time in any calamity or emergency situation and to extend any assistance to those in need.

The said three-phase redevelopment project will be handled by ESR Construction, a Mindanaobased company, and it has a 360-day completion timeframe. ( MT)

Rianne Mae Getuaban, representing Macky Oil and Gas, Binibining Manolo Fortich 2023. (Photo courtesy of the Binibining Manolo Fortich FB page)

Eriel Indira Albarece, representing Maluko and Tankulan, 1st runnerup. (Photo courtesy of the Binibining Manolo Fortich FB page)

Charmain Ann Binayao, representing Guilang-Guilang and Santiagao, 2nd runner-up. (Photo courtesy of the Binibining Manolo Fortich FB page)

PBBM wishes Cambodia-bound SEAG athletes ‘good luck’

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. believes that sports is too valuable of a support to the society that it must be kept that way.

Speaking to the athletes who will compete in the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) during the formal send-off ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay on Monday, Marcos said even their wins alone give the Filipinos joy already.

“That is why it has to be kept as a very, very important part of our support to our society. And beyond that, ang ating mga champion, ang ating mga naguuwi ng medalya at saka tropeo ay talaga namang nagdadala ng kasiyahan at naipagmamalaki ng buong madla na kami ay Pilipino. ‘Yang mga ‘yan Pilipino ‘yan, mga champion namin

‘yan at ‘yan ang siguro ang pinakamahalaga na dinadala — nagdadala kayo ng dangal sa Pilipinas (our champions, those who bring home medals and trophies really bring joy and become pride of the Filipinos. Those Filipinos, those are our champions and that’s perhaps the most important thing – you bring honor to the Philippines),” Marcos said.

He added, “It’s good for your discipline. It’s good for your health. It’s good for your camaraderie. It’s good to mature young people.”

This is the first time that Marcos attended an athletes’ send-off event since his overwhelming victory in the May 2022 presidential elections.

“It is my great, great pleasure to be able to be with you just very quickly.

Pinilit kong makapunta rito dahil gusto kong makilala ‘yung mga champion (I made sure to come here because I want to meet our champions),” he said.

He expressed willingness to help the athletes and sports officials by any means possible.

“If there is anything more that this government can do, that this administration can do, that I personally can do, you please make sure you will tell me because we are all rooting for you,” Marcos said.

He wished the Cambodia SEAG-bound athletes and officials “good luck”.

“At huwag niyong kakalimutan kapag talagang napagod na, nahirapan na, na-injure na nang kaunti, pakinggan niyo ulit ‘yung sigaw, maririnig niyo kami ‘yun, ‘yung mga kapwa niyo Pinoy, sinisigaw

(Don’t forget when you’re tired, you’re having hard time, you’ve been injured, listen to those rooting for

you, you’ll hear us your fellow Filipinos shouting): Go! Go! Go! Go!,” he said. Over 800 Filipino ath-

letes will compete in more than 600 events in 38 sports in Cambodia SEAG from May 5 to 17. (PNA)

Sangalang, Vosotros mull legal action vs. Singaporean accuser

MANILA – Magnolia center Ian Sangalang and TNT guard Almond Vosotros are eyeing legal action on Singaporean national Koa Wei Quan for dragging their names to a game-fixing scandal.

Both Filipino players denied accusations that they were offered bribes just to arrive at certain outcomes during their 2018 games, even saying that they do not know Koa personally.

“Hindi ko ipagpapalit ang career at dangal ko sa ganung bagay (I will never exchange my career and integrity for such thing),” Sangalang told Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Willie Marcial as quoted by the league’s website on Monday.

On the other hand, Vosotros, who is part of the Philippine men’s 3x3 basketball team for the Southeast Asian Games, personally denied to the Philippine News Agency his alleged role in the scandal.

“Di ko naman siya pinapansin kasi hindi naman yun totoo and honestly, di ko naman kilala yung tao na yun (I don’t really care about the issue that much because it’s not true and

honestly, I don’t know the guy),” Vosotros said during the athletes’ sendoff event at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay. “If kailangang malinis yung name ko, gagawin ko (I need to clear my name, I will take legal action).”

Sangalang was said to have been offered USD5,000 (roughly PHP280,000) in exchange for dropping Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel.

Vosotros, on the other hand, was allegedly offered bribes on three occasions during his time as a player for Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) in the Thai Basketball Super League.

Recently-crowned Sportsclick AsiaBasket International Championship

Most Valuable Player Jalen Robinson was also dragged into the game-fixing case as Koa allegedly offered bribe to the American center to help Vosotros in keeping a certain winning margin in the game between PEA and Thai General Equipment.

Meanwhile, Vosotros is not seeing the ongoing game-fixing court trial in Singapore as a distraction for him ahead of the SEA Games. (PNA)