CDO Times (November 2-8, 2013)

The

Volume 2

|

No. 11

| Cagayan de Oro City | November 2-8, 2013 | P10.00

CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly de Oro

Remembering…

Text and Photo by Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy Editor

Roughly three years ago, a devastating storm hit the city of Cagayan de Oro. This tree in the photo was the first witness to that devastation – keeping some of the victims a place of refuge.

I remember waking up at midnight to the banging on our bedroom door by my elder sister. It was the worst wake-up call of my life.

Our nephew and his then 8-month pregnant wife were still in the Biasong, Macasandig area, near Bell Church and no way of getting in touch with them.

The flood waters rose to about 20 feet in that area – drowning the lower Macasandig area in a matter of seconds.

REMEMBERING

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. P7

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The

CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly de Oro

November 2-8 2013

METROSPECT

Pho

tos b y GLE NN PALA

CIO

The staff of Seda Centrio in their costumes greets their guests with some candies and a spooky yet welcoming hello.

The kids in their costumes were treated to a number of games by the Seda Centrio staff. Everyone had a lot of fun, even had a great time with the kids.

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feature

Benjie Manuel poses with the creative team behind the successful flights of fantasy show at Limketkai Mall.

The

CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly de Oro

November 2-8 2013

Photos by GLENN PALACIO

Benjie Manuel's creative team walks down the ramp. Leading the way is international hair and make up artist Ryan Sy. REMEMBERING

. from page 1

The wind was already powerful enough to blow away a skinny 120 lbs. guy like me.

Our hearts pounded like crazy, my then 6-month old daughter was sleeping and my wife had to keep her by her side.

When the winds slowed down a little about 3 in the morning, I grabbed my jacket and headed out near Oro Christian Grace School to check on the water level, and stayed there watching the rescue rafts of the PNP and the river rafters go into the dark and coming back with rescued residents.

I will leave out all the details of what I saw from 3:00am to 6:30am. We all know and felt what happened, and stopped listening to the radio broadcasts that only

aggravated my worries.

I went back to the house as the flood waters receded. My daughter was still asleep with my wife in the sala, I went inside the bedroom and placed my hand on the holy bible we had for our wedding – I prayed for the safety of my nephew and his pregnant wife, and all my friends and family who I knew were in areas hit by flooding.

About 30 minutes later – I went outside – a few seconds later, I saw my nephew and his wife. I hugged them and went back to the room and prayed again for thanks.

Now, the baby in my niece-in-law’s womb on that fateful night is a year old and happy that she is doing well.

Later that day, my best friend and his wife and

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daughter also stayed in the house to rest – they were also flooded in Balulang.

Hundreds of lives were lost in a split second, some were never found. Since then we have become stronger, more aware – and most of all – more faithful in the power of prayers.

Our loved ones, who have passed, will always be remembered. I will especially remember my father’s teachings, from my first made slingshot, my first bicycle ride, how to graft a mango seedling, how to dry up cacao seeds for tablea, talks of politics, how to install a “tari” on a fighting rooster and how keep focus on what we are doing and doing it right.

Remember… but more importantly, cherish the ones you love before they become a memory.

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POINTS OF VIEW

The

CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly de Oro

November 2-8 2013

ala mode

by Owen Jaen

Christmalloween Today marks the end of Christmalloween.

Yes, the confusing season where Christmas decors go side by side with scary masks, hanging bats and spiders on cobwebs are about to finally end today.

I am not sure if this is practiced elsewhere in the world but here in the Philippines, we hear Christmas carols on air and then get invited by the radio hosts to show up on scary costumes in a Halloween party somewhere.

Shopping Malls are the most confused of all. The clash (or is it fusion?) of decors make you wonder whether to scream in delight or shout in disbelief - Santa on one side and then the masked killer on the other.

Thank goodness, it is about to end now. Shoo with the cobwebs and hello to pure beautiful holiday décor!

I noticed that every year, Halloween in the Philippines is gaining momentum.

More and more people are adapting to the western culture of celebrating it with trick or treats, costume parties and scary movies.

There is nothing much wrong with that but we are known to be a people who celebrate Christmas the longest where hollies and sparkling lights prop up as early as September.

Putting pumpkins and witches hats together with Christmas trees and some stuffed reindeers make it quite bizarre to look at.

READ !

Fun is undoubtedly embedded in our culture but I suggest let us celebrate one first before moving to another. I don’t want to sound like a party-pooper but that is how things should go but if you are not keen on Halloween well go right ahead and unbox those Christmas decors and display away.

Well, I guess my bias for Christmas is pretty obvious now. I always have a giddy feeling when the Christmas season comes and the sight of hanging lanterns and twinkling lights just makes me feel light and merry.

I know most of you do agree with me, right? The spirit of the season makes you more hopeful in anticipation of a joyous celebration

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and a new and exciting year that comes after. I never mind the effort of going through dusty boxes as we bring out our family’s holiday decorations.

The time to hang them all up takes quite a while but a fun time nonetheless.

This is a bonding moment for us in the family, whether we decorate early or quite a bit late, it is not the output that matters but the moment we have shared.

Now that Halloween is over and the Christmas season is in full swing, I am ready to bring out the bows and garlands and dive into some serious home decorating!

Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the merry season ahead!

by DEBBIE CABAGUE

A Musician’s wedding

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CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly de Oro

Publisher CAGAYAN TIMES General Manager ROSE MARY D. SUDARIA,Ph.D. Editor SHAUN ALEJANDRAE YAP UY Art Director & RONALD MASTAIL Layout Artist Photographer GLENN PALACIO

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Editorial MIKE BAÑOS NELSON Consultants CONSTANTINO RUEL PELONE ALLAN MEDIANTE CHENG ORDOÑEZ

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Account LAVIE CASENAS JOHN DEL Executives BANDO PINKY DOMINGO CADAVEDO

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f you’ve seen a glimpse of Richard Poon and Maricar, Regine and Ogie in their weddings then you’ll also be in awe how nice it was.

Being musicians themselves of course their music was among the highlights of their weddings.

No, I didn’t attend their weddings but just recently I was able to attend and sing for a fellow musician’s wedding herein our city.

It was indeed a privilege to be singing for the couple along with other local musicians.

Peach and pink roses filled the room , happy faces of the couple’s family and friends adds up to the

joyful atmosphere but nothing beats the confident smile of the bride as she walked down the aisle and the groom’s teary eyes as her bride said her vows.

I’ve been to so many weddings but this is a first for a fellow musician.

As a whole it was just simply elegant. Genuine love from the families gathered as they enthusiastically participated in the program.

As the groom is a musician himself, music was one of the highlights of his wedding.

As a musician I also had the privilege to listen to fellow musicians of which I found very

relaxing and entertaining as well.

So this is the feeling of being serenaded... When it was our turn to hit the stage we also enjoyed performing the set of songs in our specialty of Jazz Acoustic.

It was indeed a great night of music for all of us performers.

Sitting in our seats, we still couldn’t believe that this musician friend of ours is already married because when he’s with us playing we always find ourselves laughing afterwards but now we’re very happy for him and his wife.

That was a musician’s wedding... I wonder now how mine would look like in God’s time? How about yours?

PHOTO FEATURE

Legal Counsels ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI ATTY. ROBERTO A. CANTAGO, JR.

The CAGAYAN de ORO TIMES newspaper is published weekly at FICCO Bldg., Lapasan Hiway, with the editorial office at Tanleh Bldg., Abellanosa St.,Consolacion, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 10 with Certificate No. 01801884, and with Business Permit No. 17211 with TIN No. 311-982-549-000 | Tele/Fax #: (088) 856-3344, (08822) 74-53-80 Find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CagayandeOroTIMES email us at Editorial: thecagayantimes@gmail. com, Advertising: cagayantimes@yahoo.com.ph Member: Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber)

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BRISK BUSINESS. A vendor prepares the flowers she is selling to customers who are expected to flock the flower market beside Cogon public market in Cagayan de Oro to buy flowers for the graves of their departed relatives on All Souls day this coming Nov. 2.

Mindanews photo by Froilan Gallardo

POINTS OF VIEW

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CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly de Oro

November 2-8 2013

5

The silver lining

by Janey Montebon Duterte

W

Do You Believe in Ghosts?

e call them by many names – ghosts, apparitions, spook, specter, or multo in the vernacular. Their stories have been around for ages, and where there are civilizations, there are stories of ghosts and spirits as well.

In ancient times, the Sumerians called them Gidim; the Egyptians have a set of beliefs about ghosts and the afterlife widely detailed in papyrus scrolls, inscriptions, and tomb paintings; and there are mentions of ghosts and spirits in the Holy Bible particularly in the Old Testament.

Needless to say, the history of ghost stories goes as far back as the history of mankind.

All of us have our share of these kinds of stories.

Whether we personally experienced them or merely shared to us by our friends (or

friends of friends), we eagerly exchange these tales especially when Halloween rolls over.

Remember when you used to be glued to the TV to watch the Halloween Special of Magandang Gabi Bayan? I sure was.

I've had a few experiences myself, like the time when I was alone in a hotel room in Makati and suddenly there was something knocking on the bathroom ceiling.

Exasperated, I threw one of my slippers in the direction of the sound, but instead of stopping, the knocking became even louder.

Another time, I was in a condotel in Makati, again all alone. It was raining outside so I decided to stay in the room and watch a Bruce Lee special on TV. Halfway through the documentary, the show was suddenly changed to Hotel Ghost Stories.

And no, I did not switch

the channel or touch the remote.

Here in Cagayan de Oro, there are several reports of creepy paranormal stuff too.

A good friend of mine once booked herself in an old hotel here in the city.

At first she saw a man wearing white clothes walking outside her window.

She didn't mind that he seemed to look so out of place at such a late hour.

When she was about to go to sleep, she heard the other bed creak as if someone got up from it.

And that was when the rest of the peculiar stuff started happening as well.

She could distinctly hear different people talking inside her room, and there were banging noises in the aircon unit.

Needless to say, she never got enough sleep.

By dawn, she hauled all her things and moved to a different hotel.

After Sendong struck, leaving thousands of people dead and missing, ghost stories in the city have multiplied. There are several reports of anguished cries for help suddenly being heard, or of sightings of muddied people running about frantically.

There are also those who see ghosts inside their homes, only to find out later on that those people are still buried within their vicinity.

Taxi and motorela drivers have horror stories aplenty. In the weeks that followed after Sendong, there were drivers who refused to take passengers to the Tibasak area in Macasandig due to their hair-raising recollections of being flagged down by people who suddenly vanish.

Several kinds of sightings are still common to this day, and I have heard stories about how

people with third eye try to avoid the Sendong-hit areas as much as possible because of the many ghosts that they still see frolicking around.

Aside from this, old buildings, hospitals, and ancestral houses in the city are fertile grounds for horror stories.

I actually saw recently a video clip taken from the CCTV of a hospital where a ghastly orb was captured on video for several minutes.

The orb seemed to resemble a little baby being rocked to sleep.

Even crowded places such as malls are not exempted from these stories as well.

Different kinds of sightings and unusual activities that could only be labeled as paranormal have become fodder for the imaginations of the locals.

So how about you? Do you believe in ghosts?

th

Happy 58 Birthday

Brother EDUARDO V. MANALO Executive Minister of Iglesia Ni Cristo Greetings from:

Vice Governor JOEY G. PELAEZ Abing I. Bernaldez Bing F. Dumadag Benedict P. Lagbas Enteng K.Pelaez Dandan N. Chan(PCL)

Geronimo Z. Lagbas(SK)

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and Board Members

Gagay J. Acain Boris H. Actub Enan V. Emano Nancy S. Madjos Loloy S. Mugot Jun S. Kho Jr.(ABC)

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November 2-8 2013

AROUND NORTHMIN

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CONTACT PERSON: RAYLYN LANTACA

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Congressman Rufus B. Rodriguez and other members of the Philippine observer delegation to the 39th Exploraratory Talks between the Philippine government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last August 22-25, 2013 discuss with the members of the MILF Peace Panel the power sharing and normalization annexes before attending the 2nd day of the talks. The two annexes are very crucial aspects of the peace talks as it will detail how the two sides will have inter-governmental relations. Also in the photo are (L-R): Representative Jesus Sacdalan, MILF Peace Panel members Bobby Alonto, Al Camlian, Chairman Mohagher Iqbal and House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Pangalian Balindong.

Moreno defends P2.6 billion proposed 2014 budget

By Cris Diaz of Mindanao Daily News

C A G AYA N d e O r o City––Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno defended the proposed P 2.6 billion 2014 budget as necessary for the city to move forward.

Moreno personally submitted the 2014 proposed budget to the city council during the council’s regular session on Monday afternoon for its approval.

He said that the budget, a P 400 million increase from 2013’s approved P 2.2 billion budget was “ambitious and aggressive” that m a n i f e s t s t h e c i t y ’s continued annual growth.

The city mayor said that the increase in the proposed budget was more on social services particularly increasing coverage of PhilHealth beneficiaries from the current 100,000 to 240,000 beneficiaries next year.

According to Moreno, that the city government would be able to improve its annual revenue collection to as much as P 3.2 billion – depending on the aggressiveness of the city’s tax collection.

City Councilor Prexy Elipe, chair of the city council’s committee on finance, ways and means, said that the city council will review the proposed budget “item for item.”

“We appreciate the

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno presents his proposed P2.6-billion budget for 2014 during the regular session of the city council on Monday. Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas listens as the presiding officer. The budget allocations were spelled out by the mayor for the city councilors to see why the amount totals P2.6-billion.

Mindanao Daily News photo by Gerry Lee Gorit

city mayor’s coming to the city council himself to defend his proposed budget. However, the city mayor could have sent the department heads who know the details more of their needs,” Elipe said.

He said that the city government’s approved budget in 2013 was P 2.2 billion, up by P 300 million from an annual budget of P 900,000 in 2012.

“The city government was able to meet the P 2.2 billion budget in 2013 because of the city’s sound fiscal management and improved revenues,” Elipe added.

Elipe said that the city government has two major sources of income; the Internal Revenue

Allotment (IRA) and the revenues collected from various local taxes.0 No tax increase Moreno also allayed fears on insinuations that the city government would increase collection of taxes to be able to meet the P 2.6 billion budget in 2014.

Moreno made the assurance in a speech before members of the city council during the regular session on Monday.

The city mayor endorsed the proposed P 2.6 billion budget for 2014 for approval by the local august body.

He said that the city government would not collect additional taxes to burden local taxpayers in order to attain the

proposed 2014 budget.

“I believed that a sustain collection of existing taxes could increase the necessary revenues of the city government,” Moreno said.

He said that under a stable revenue collection and exploring possible sources of revenue, the city government could easily raise its annual revenue income to P 3.2 billion.

According to Moreno, that the proposed P 2.6 billion 2014 budget was attainable and fair as the city embarks on more infrastructure and social service projects designed to serve the people more and maintained the city as the gateway of Southern Mindanao.

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November 2-8 2013

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A Brown Company Chief Executive Officer, President and Director Robertino E. Pizarro lead the ceremonial ribbon cutting at the site of Coral Resort Estates located in Initao, Misamis Oriental, together with Initao Vice-Mayor Cora Sayre and other A Brown officers during their soft launching, October 26, 2013. Photo by Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City LIAISON FOR THE COMMON GOOD. Governor Bambi Emano exercises his ‘right to vote’ as he casts the names of the ‘right people’ he believes, can bring Poblacion, Tagoloan to common good. The governor hopes for a CLEAN and PEACEFUL Barangay Election this year. Photo Supplied

DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

Contact no.:

309-5276

HERMILINO VILLALON

AMJJ HOG BUYER SUPER JJ EXPRESS

AND

MISAMIS ORIENTAL – Vice Governor Joey G. Pelaez, together with 2nd District Board Member Nancy S. Madjos (3rd from the right) visited the Misamis Oriental Provincial Hospital – Initao to distribute the medical equipment donated by Children International last October 30, 2013. Also present during the distribution were Mayor Enerito J. Acain, V (2nd from the left), Sangguniang Bayan Member Renato Galaroza (2nd from the right) and the OIC Chief of Hospital, Dr. Ma. Jocelyn B. Biña (5th from the right).

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November 2-8 2013

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