Mindanao Daily NEWS northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Regional Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper
Volume II, No. 234
web portal: www.businessweekmindanao.com
Monday
April 14, 2014
P15.00
4 candidates compete for RDC-11 chairmanship
D
A V A O City––The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in Region 11 has officially identified four nominees for the next chairperson of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Davao Region.
Regional Top Stories
NORTHMIN
BFAR: Avoid beaches in Normin affected by red tide u 2 caraga
DOH-13 targets Dinagat, Socorro town rabiesfree u 4
See FULL STORY, page 9
Workers undergo drug test KIDAPAWAN City––An employee of the Kidapawan City government was found positive for using suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, after Mayor Joseph Evangelista ordered a mandatory drug test for all government servants here. Evangelista, in his desire to rid the city government of drug dependent, has ordered a continuing and random drug testing to more than 600 work force since last week. “Surprise drug test, that is what we are doing because the element of surprise is very important,” Evangelista said an interview over DXND Radyo Bida. Without revealing the identity of the employee found positive of drug use, Evangelista said the drug test is a continuing process as long as necessary. Evangelista said the person found positive for drug use will be rehabilitated with the help of the city government. “There will be no filing of charges, we will give him the opportunity to recover and change for the better,” he said in the vernacular. “That is if his drug use is confirmed by a drug See UNDERGO, page 11
WESTMIN
City Treasurer Glenn Banez orients Mayor Oscar Moreno and City Welfare Officer Teddy Sabuga-a of the new payment lounge of the newly refurbished City Treasurer’s Office at City Hall on Friday, April 11, 2014. Photo by Mike Baños, NPN
Fighting in Philippines leaves 7 rebels, soldiers dead u 8
NCAA hardcourt star is product of Governor’s Cup By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN Regional Editor-Caraga
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur—Nobody would have thought that Darrel Dave Magsigay who hails from this town would become a starting shooting guard for Mapua Cardinals in the prestigious National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) senior basketball league. This year, Magsigay, a proud product of the inter-municipalities league the Governor’s Cup, will be given breaks with more exposure in the hard court with the absence of star guard Jason Nimes who was injured at the end of last year’s season.
Now on its 9th season, the Governor’s Cup, a brainchild of Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza, has not only pushed Magsigay to stardom as other breeds in the likes of Arturo Dimas from Veruela, Lester Reyes from Esperanza and Johnny Jasmin from Loreto have also earned a niche in other big leagues. Dimas, a pioneer when the Governor’s Cup started in 2002, now plays for Mob Packers in the highly competitive Below 6 Feet Basketball League while being gainfully employed in a multinational company in Manila. After their stint with Governor’s Cardinals shooting guard Dave Magsigay seen here in See product, page 11
action at the hardcourt.
Cha-cha forum highlights need for pro-people devt THE benefit of foreign direct investment to the country’s economy must be weighed from a historical perspective in order to determine its role in the push for pro-people economic and cultural development. This was the conclusion of round table discussion titled “Charter Change: implications on farmers, SMEs and mass media” organized by research group IBON held Tuesday.
Members of the academe, alternative media and stakeholders of the small business and agriculture industry gathered to discuss the move to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and its implications on farmers, small and medium enterprises and mass media. Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Neri Colmenares gave updates and challenged the legality of House Resolution
No. 1, the embodiment of renewed Charter change efforts in the lower house. He said that merely inserting the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to provisions describing local ownership of vital sectors such as land, education, mass media, businesses, public utilities and natural resources has serious implications on Philippine sovereignty. “Amending the Constitution is not like
changing just any law; it is the highest law in the land. You cannot change it as if you were just changing the name of a street.” The impacts of a liberalized mass media were discussed by columnist and former UP College of Mass Communications Dean Luis Teodoro. He gave an overview of the state of Philippine mass media and showed how globally mass media has become increas-
ingly monopolized by fewer giant outfits. He also said that Philippine journalism may further deteriorate when foreign businesses take over for the primary purpose of profit. IBON executive director Sonny Africa explained how increased foreign investment through the years has not resulted in Philippine development. Africa underscored how decades of See PEOPLE, page 11
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