Gov. Adiong tells his people to stand fast amid extremists’ threats

By Nash B. Maulana

MARAWI City—Unperturbed by rumors about extremists’ taking over the Marogong town, Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Bombit Alonto Adiong Jr. told his constituents to rise above the challenges of underdevelopment, terror, and criminalities.

Meanwhile, Adiong received farm equipment from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at the PEO grounds, New Capitol Complex here.

It may be recalled that amid rumors about threats by the extremist group Dawlia Islamia, some 259 families have fled Marogong for the safety of nearby Binidayan, Tubaran, Bayang and Masiu towns.

BARMM Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo had visited Marogong to assess the projects funded by his office.

BARMM police regional director Gen.

Allan Nobreza said the Philippine National Police was working closely with the BARMM, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the local government units to secure communities facing high-security risks.

Adiong said the agriculture support package from the BARMM consisted of one mega rice thresher, two corn shelling cones, and one corn feed miller.

The procurement of the implements by the BARMM Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) was funded by the office of former Member of Parliament Diamla Musa, officials said.

Adiong said the farm equipment will be utilized to help boost the economic condition of the province, improve the timeliness of agricultural operations, and enhance the farmers’ access to the market.

Adiong accepted the equipment, underscoring the importance of ensuring the province’s food security. By empowering the farmers, he said, they would be able to contribute much to agricultural sustainability and development of the province.

Visitors who graced the turnover rites were welcomed by provincial agriculturist. agriculturist Rajiv Radia.

Amer Magarang, station superintendent of the MAFAR-LDS Research Outreach, said MAFAR is committed to making agricultural lands more productive with more crops to harvest on the part of the farmers.

Diamla said the recipient-beneficiaries ought to use the machines prudently to ensure that they are handled, managed, and maintained well.

Also on Tuesday, Adiong laid the corner-

TODAYURC to move CADPI Sugar Milling Equipment to Balayan Mill

In line with its expansion plan to provide better service to local sugarcane farmers, Universal Robina Corporation (URC) will be purchasing the idle sugar milling machineries and equipment of Central Azucarera Don Pedro, Inc. (CADPI).

The CADPI sugar milling machineries and equipment will be transferred to URC’s Balayan sugar mill for the expansion of Balayan’s milling capacity and improvement of its sugar recovery process. With increased capacity from additional equipment, URC aims to accommodate more local sugarcane farmers and to contribute to more sustainable growth of local supply of sugar in the market.

stone for the mounting of photovoltaic plates to generate solar energy to help power the Tamparan District Hospital nied.” Estrella said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

The 22KW-solar energy project in the Tamparan District Hospital (TDH) is funded by the United Nations Development Program and the Department of Energy.

The system will be installed to energize energize primarily the hospital’s blood bank, laboratory, emergency room, and hospital corridors, among others, said Provincial Information Officer Salma Jayne Alonto Tamano.

TDH relies heavily on diesoline for electricity during the past 60 years because of erratic power supply distribution to the community, residents said.

Vice Mayor Haroun-al-Rashid Disomimba Lucman, III welcomed the development, saying the project will address the issue of inadequate power supply in Tamparan.

“We are happy to inform everybody that our formula of multiple shuttle diplomacy and constantly holding dialogues with stakeholders finally we were able to resolve the case and we have issued a decision here in Hacienda Tinang. We thank God for this accomplishment because here, we have finally resolved this problem.” he added.

Estrella said conflicts between warring farmer groups in the plantation has been resolved following the awarding of land titles to the beneficiaries.

“This case started less than three decades ago, and this is about the land ownership struggle here in Hacienda Tinang. There have been many incidents here both in the barangay and also in the courts and in fact this is it. It would have been only farmers versus land owner. It would have been easy to resolve, but it became a farmer group versus another famer group.” Estrella noted.

PNP gears up for PBBM’s second SONA

By Jun David

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has started mapping out its security plan for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. disclosed. Acorda said the PNP will collate available intelligence reports in their possession, including those from other law enforcement agencies, to assess all potential security threats during the event.

“Preparations on the ground are in full swing for us to ensure that the staging of this event will be peaceful and orderly. All information relevant to security matters are being seriously evaluated,” the PNP chief said.

Acorda said security measures will cover all possible scenarios, including the PNP’s contingency moves, that could take place inside and outside the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City, where President Marcos will address members of Congress during the SONA.

He also said they are still finalizing the exact number of PNP personnel who will be deployed in the SONA venue and in some parts of Metro Manila to handle the peace and order situation.

“Expect the PNP to maximize the utilization of all its available resources to ensure the peaceful and orderly staging of this event,” he said.

Demonstrators will not be barred from staging protest rallies during the President’s SONA, Acorda said.

However, he explained that protest actions should be staged only in designated freedom parks as provided by law.

Acorda said the PNP will exercise “maximum tolerance” in dealing with demonstrators during the SONA.

“We will also reach out to representatives of all groups who are planning to stage protest rallies during the event. I am hopeful that we can arrive at a consensus, where they can exercise their freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, but without prejudice to the security measures we intend to adopt,” he added.