Mindanao Daily NEWS northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Regional Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper
Volume III, No. 008
web portal: www.businessweekmindanao.com
Wednesday
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?
See story P15.00 on Page 12 May 28, 2014
Davao consumers blame monopoly for power rate hikes By Lorie Ann Cascaro of MindaNews
DAVAO City––Power consumers led by progressive groups on Monday held a rally in front of the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) to protest power rate hikes which they attributed to the “monopoly of the power industry.”
The protesters blamed the Aquino government for the emergence of the “monopoly”. “The P-Noy government has an accountability on this because he allows the power industry to be monopolized by few companies ran by his cronies – the Aboitizes, Henry Sy, Cojuangcos and
Lopezes,” Grace Noval, Gabriela Women’s Partylist vice president for Mindanao, said. Noval said the government has been depriving the people of electricity as a basic utility that is necessary to achieve their right to decent living. Some of the protesters
came earlier from a forum dubbed “Inaykupo, nakamamatay ang kuryenteng pamahal ng pamahal!” to discuss power related issues including the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, which they wanted to be repealed along with the Value Added Tax being imposed on electricity bills.
A subsidiary of Aboitiz Group, the DLPC has increased power rate hikes by P.54 per kilowatt hour (kWh) during the rotating power interruptions, according to Ross Luga, Davao Light corporate communications officer. He said each household
Police tighten security for Asean eco forum See hikes, page 11
Z
By Teofilo P. Garcia Jr.
AMBOANGA City––The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) has tightened security at the venue of Tuesday’s forum on the Association of East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC) in this city. See FULL STORY, page 8
Family in ‘illegal’ drug trade busted
CAGAYAN de Oro City–– Three members of a “Maranao” family believed engaged in drug trafficking in this seaport capital of Northern Mindanao were rounded up during a buy bust operation here. An alert PDEA agent foiled an alleged attempt by one of the members of the family to shoot an operative at the height of the raid. The regional headquarters of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) here on Tuesday identified the suspects as Rolly Macatanong Alawi, 64, his wife Salam Disumimba Alawi, 51 and son Jalel Disumimba Alawi, 32, all “Maranaos” from Marawi City with a residence in Cagayan de Oro City. See TRADE, page 11
NEW SET OF PLEB OFFICERS
Newly-installed members of the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) of Cagayan de Oro swear into office before City Mayor Oscar Moreno on May 26, 2014 at City Hall. Comprising the city’s First District are City Councilor Roger Abaday; Kauswagan Barangay Chairman Pedro Balite; Atty. Matildo Aparece;
Retired General Jose Cuevas and Atty. Doreen Delegencia. While the Second District is composed of City Councilor Ramon Tabor; Barangay Chairman Apolinar Bonete of Barangay 29; Atty. Edgar Cabanlas; Atty. Vincent Cromwell Seriña, and Atty. Maria Rosario Consuelo Tumulak. PLEB is primarily tasked to re-
ceive, hear and decide administrative complaints filed by citizens against officers and members of the Philippine National Police assigned in Cagayan de Oro City. Members from both first and second districts, who will serve for three years, will choose among themselves their respective Chairman. City Information Office photo
NORTHMIN
Bukidnon farmers begin march to Malacañang u2 CARAGA
WHO marks ‘World No Tobacco Day’ amid calls for higher taxes on tobacco u 4 DAVAO
2 men face raps over journo’s death u 9
Organ transplant soon in C. de Oro CITING the importance of providing all health facilities and services to people of the city and the region, Vice Mayor Caesar Ian E. Acenas expressed gladness over reports that Cagayan de Oro has been identified by the Philippine Organ Donation and Transplantation Program (PODTP) as one of three satellite areas in Mindanao for organ transplant. The vice mayor noted that a strategic planning program was held recently by the PODTP in the city. PODTP is eyeing Cagayan de Oro as one of the organ procurement in Mindanao with two hospitals as organ centers, the Capitol University Medical Center (CUMC) in Gusa and See ORGAN, page 11
DepEd defers closure of BSU external study centers By CRIS DIAZ Executive Editor
A boy (right) hitches a ride on a jeepney beside a passenger on a dim evening while Cagayan de Oro City faced a blackout. While some drivers disallow the practice but drivers of jeepneys without conductors cannot see the hitchhiker. Passengers are calling on the RTA to check the potentially dangerous ride. photo by gerry lee gorit
Regional Top Stories
MISAMIS Oriental––The Department of Education (DepEd) regional office here has deferred the closure of the external study centers of the state-run Bukidnon State University (BSU) in Misamis Oriental, said provincial Vice Governor Joey Pelaez on Tuesday.
Pelaez said that the about 6,000 students of the BSU external study centers here could still enroll for the year 2014-2015 in the province 10 BSU external study centers, including that of the external study center at the Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS) in Cagayan De Oro City. According to Pelaez, the
DepEd has withheld the closure of the BSU external study centers after local officials, parents, and students lodged a protest against the Memorandum Order of the Commissions on Higher Education (CHED) to close the BSU external study centers in Misamis Oriental starting the school year 2014-2015. See centers, page 11
Editorial: e-mail: mindanaodailynews@gmail.com • Advertising: e-mail: mindanaodaily.ads@gmail.com Contact: 0917-7121424, 0947-8935776