Mindanao Daily NEWS northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Regional Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper
Volume II, No. 238
Bangus in Misor is safe to eat, says BFAR MISAMIS Oriental––The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Northern Mindanao said on Monday that the milkfish raised in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental is still safe for public consumption. The BFAR made the announcement to allay fears that the culture milkfish in the province’s marine culture park in Balingasag were affected by the harmful algal bloom (HAB) that caused “fish kill” at the start of the month of April this year. See safe, page 11
Malacañang satisfied with latest Pulse Asia survey result
THE Palace on Monday expressed satisfaction with the latest result of the Pulse Asia survey showing President Benigno S. Aquino III still has maintained a high trust rating. “We are gratified that the President continues to enjoy a high trust rating,” said Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. during a press briefing. He said the Pulse Asia survey result has “remained statistically the same”. “Whereas before, 74 (percent) found him to be trustworthy, there are now 69 percent that have the same assessment, and the five percent went to the undecided column, not to the ‘no trust’ column,” Coloma said. “This is to be considered as a reminder for the national leadership to intensify its efforts to deliver the reforms that were promised, because we are aware that our people have high expectations,” he said. See survey, page 11
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
THE FOUR-WAY TEST of the things we think, say or do
1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
House inspects Misor airport web portal: www.businessweekmindanao.com
Tuesday
See story P15.00 on Page 12 April 22, 2014
By CRIS DIAZ Executive Editor
M
ISAMIS Orient a l – – Members of the House Committee on Transportation on Monday conducted an ocular inspection of the controversial Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental to determine if the airport is equipped with navigational facilities to accommodate aircrafts. See FULL STORY, page 4
Regional Top Stories CARAGA
DENR releases truck loaded with ‘hot logs’ u4 westmin
Abu Sayyaf bandits free kidnapped Filipino engineer u 8 davao
Duterte urged to use aerial drones during calamities u 9
144 Reds surrender in Normin in 6 months CAMP Evangelista, Cagayan
GROUNDBREAKING. Cagayan de Oro second district Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez de Oro City––A total of 144 leads the groundbreaking ceremony of the road concreting project of Yakal Street in Barangay Bugo. Together with Rep. Rodriguez are Barangay Chairman Jesus S. Morial Jr., barangay councilors Edwin V. Aban, Ponciano J. Dawal, Presley C. Emano, Acting District Engineer Anastacio G. Marundan of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Acting Assistant District Engineer Mabel F. Saa, and Engr. Nicoline Blanco. Photo supplied
PPI@50 and beyond THE Philippine Press Institute (PPI) quietly marks its golden anniversary with the conferment of the annual media awards, the holding of its annual assembly and other events in Metro Manila. Former President Fidel V. Ramos will be keynote speaker with this year’s golden theme “@50 and Beyond.” The theme has added significance because what lie “beyond” this celebratory milestone are real challenges that the Philippine press still must face. It has to deal with issues on credibility, media killings, legislative advocacies, search for justice, press freedom, capacities and working conditions of media workers, mechanisms of redress, internal discipline and viability, among others. And decidedly, the bigger challenge today is the emerging dominance of cyberspace as a faster platform for information and views. It is in this environment that PPI is marking its halfcentury milestone mindful that the Philippine press must continue and remain to do its role in upholding press freedom and provide the public with verified, accurate and truthful information that is vital to democracy. So while we celebrate, we are also burdened by the thought that there is much yet to be done “@50 and Beyond.”
rebels of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Northern Mindanao had surrendered to the military for the past six months from October 2013 to March 2014, said a military official on Monday. Capt. Christian Uy, spokesperson of the army’s Public Affairs Division here, said that the NPA rebels also turned over a total of 144 assorted firearms. The NPA is the armed wing of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The latest batch of NPA rebels who laid down their firearms were on April 17, 2014 where 37 members of the Tribal Solid Mass Organization (MASSO) named “Umayam Kawilihan” and members of the Militia ng Bayan under a certain Datu of Manobo tribe voluntarily surrendered to the 26th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Division at Talacogon, Agusan del Sur. See Surrender, page 11
Church, Reds urge peace talks to address mining, lumad issues DAVAO City––The National Democratic Front (NDF) and a protestant church formation in Mindanao want a stop on large-scale mining and military activities in indigenous areas such as in Talaingod, Davao del Norte. They also asked for the resumption of peace talks.
The plea was made by the United Methodist Church Eastern Mindanao Conference during their video conference on Wednesday with NDF peace panel chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni. The conference was also viewed via livestream by the Manobo evacuees and support groups in UCCP
Haran Compound. The Methodist Church Davao Episcopal Area in their pastoral statement urged both government and the NDF to resume talks. “We strongly urge the President to intervene towards the attainment of a just and lasting peace over the land. We also call
the GPH and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to resume the stalled peace talks to address these problems that affect innocent civilians,” they said. Methodist Church leaders Bishop Ciriaco Francisco and the conference co-chair Reverend Camilo Balgona
Jr and Vilma Ariola, raised that mining interests in the Manobo territory in the Pantaron Range, a richforest in the border of Davao del Norte and Bukidnon, was the reason for the recent military operations. “It is apparent to the community leaders that
there is a growing interest to mine in one of the remaining forest areas in Mindanao, the Pantaron Range that covers the mountains of Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao City, Agusan Provinces. This Mountain range has been protected for 20 years because our See issues, page 11
Editorial: e-mail: mindanaodailynews@gmail.com • Advertising: e-mail: mindanaodaily.ads@gmail.com Contact: 0917-7121424, 0947-8935776