41st City Anniversary and Fiesta Celebrations Starts

By PJTremedal, BNDMisOC-CIB/OCM

Oroquieta City – All work no play makes “Juan” a dull boy as saying goes, but here in this part of Northern Mindanao, playing with sports is not only great but camaraderie’s and relationship will definitely become stronger than ever.

As Oroquieta celebrates its anniversary this year in its 41^st year of existence and governmentally moves towards progress and development with the blessings from the high almighty and in honor of its patron, “Viva Nuestra del Rosario” (Feast of the Lady of the Holy Rosary) October Feast starts.

OCIGEA (Oroquieta City Government Employees Association) or otherwise known as the city employee’s organization starts the ball rolling with its Sports Fest 2010 a month-long sport activity and on its final day, employees will gather to commemorate its Employees Fun Day.

On the 1^st day of September marks its opening were City Officials led by City Mayor Jason P. Almonte, the Sangguniang Panlungsod and the OCIGEA players and participants will gather at the City Plaza to commence the sports fest.

Players of every team in basketball, volleyball and badminton games will take their oath of sportsmanship to promise in abiding all the laws, rules and regulations of every game in the spirit of sportsmanship, clean fun and camaraderie.

In the games, six(6) team will play as it represents each group, Team 1 (The Executives) is composed of the city government departments namely; OCM, OCA, CPO, SP, OCPDC, OC-Court, MTCC 1&2, and the CBO while in Team 2 (The Financiers) is composed of the ACT,COA, LCR, CTO, CENRO, Register of Deeds, CAO, CSWDO, Postal Services, CEEDO.

Other teams will be; Team 3 (The Builders) composed of the CEO, GSP, BIR, and BSP; Team 4 (The Educators) will be composed of the Department of Education -Oroquieta City School Division; Team 5 (The Planters) will be participated by the OC-Agri, Parole and Probation Office, COMELEC, DAR and OCWD and the last Team 6 (The Lifesavers) is composed of GSO, BFP, Telecom, CHO, BJMP, DILG, and the PNP.

On its opening day, the 2010 OCIGEA Employees Sports Fest will eventually set the fire to keep the games rolling as it will light the torch of sports and a ceremonial toss of ball. Dr. Guillermo I. Flores, Chairman of the Board of OCIGEA will render the opening remarks and followed by the City Mayor’s message.

In an interview, City Mayor Jason Almonte said that as a government leader ,” sports should not be neglected as it will help promote good governance and a tool not for the employees alone but to the Oroquietanons, especially the youth of today, Sports is not only healthy exercises but it will build friendship and goodwill”. He said.

MILF names new peace panel, says it is ready to resume peace talks

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Monday said it has already formed its new panel of negotiators who will continue talking peace with the Philippine government.

Mohammad Ameen, chief secretariat of the MILF’s central committee, said they now have a “short list” of negotiators that are to compose their peace panel.

Ameen refused to comment when asked if the group would still be led by Muhaquer Iqbal, chairman of the front’s information committee, a position he has been occupying since early 1990s.

“The official announcement will be made by Chairman Murad (Ebrahim) after the Ramadhan,” Ameen said in a statement.

The fasting month of Ramadhan will culminate on September 11 or the Eud'l Fitr.

The MILF deactivated its peace panel after the May 10 synchronized local and national elections following its last meeting with its government counterpart under the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia before the electoral exercise.

Peace talks between the government and the MILF started officially on January 7, 1997, but gained headway only in 2003 through the facilitation of Malaysia.

Malaysia also led the third party peace monitors called International Monitoring Team which helped the government and the MILF monitor ceasefire violations and formed mechanism to avoid the same since 2003.

Aside from Malaysia, the IMT is also composed of representatives from Brunei, Libya and Japan.

Other countries also expressed intention to join the peace efforts in southern Philippines.
Ameen said the new panel members will be equally qualified with the Iqbal-led panel of negotiators.

Within a month after President Aquino assumed office, he named University of the Philippines Dean Marvic Leonen as chief government negotiator.

Others representing various sectors were also named by President Aquino. (PNA/PIA9-BST)

Iran eyes oil trading with ARMM’s fruits

ISABELA CITY, BASILAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran has joined the ranks of foreign states and entities that have shown growing confidence in the present ARMM administration.

Bureau of Public Information Executive Director Ali G. Macabalang said in a press statement that ARMM officials announced over the weekend that Iran is eyeing the possibility of trading its crude oil with bananas and other fruits from the cash-strapped Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

ARMM incumbent executive secretary Naguib Sinarimbo was quoted saying that the trade prospect was aired personally by Ambassador to the Philippines Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani in his courtesy call to acting Regional Governor Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong Tuesday at the ARMM-Manila liaison office last week where he also assured assistance on the region’s education and medical needs.

Atty. Sinarimbo said the Iranian envoy was empathic about trading some of his country’s oil supplies with bananas and other fruits from the ARMM areas in the face of the embargo imposed by the U.S. on the petroleum products of Iran.

In response to the “laudable” proposal acting Regional Governor Adiong has ordered his concerned officials to coordinate with fruit growers and producers in ARMM for the possible drafting of a feasibility study on the trading scheme.

Sinarimbo said that if realized, the barter trade will tap the freshly-opened Free Port of Polloc in Parang, Maguindanao.

Banana growers and producers in the ARMM have been exporting part of their produce to Muslim countries including Iran, according to Sinarimbo.

In his courtesy call, he said, Ambassador Rouzbehani also “promised to help ARMM in areas of education and cheaper medicines.

The Philippines, he said, has been absorbing large volume of cheaper medicines from Indian, which imports Iranian medicines.

“We believe the cost will be much cheaper if we import medicines directly from Iran,” the ARMM executive secretary told newsmen here Sunday.

The World Bank, the Japanese International Coordination Agency, the European Commission, the Australian Agency for International Development, the United Nations attached institutions, and the World Food Programme, among others, have renewed services in ARMM this year in gesture of trust in the ARMM leadership, officials said. (BPI/PIA9-BST)

“Eco Walk the Talk”…Hon. Ala says!

Clarin Settlement, Oroquieta City (UPDATE) –Year 2010, is declared by the United Nation as the International year of Biodiversity whose theme focus on “Biodiversity is Life, Biodiversity is our life” is very timely when the city government of Oroquieta together with its city officials and employees organization, OCIGEA (Oroquieta City Government Employees Association) conducted its first ever, Eco-Walk:”Adto Ta (Lets Go) and help revive the eco-park”.

Hon. Ruvy” Alay” Ala, Chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Committee on Tourism said that instead of dreaming, planning, and talking let’s go make it “eco walk the talk”. Which means that as government officials and employees must be realistic in promoting and move for its revival of the Ciriaco Pastrano Park, a preserved mini forest of the Oroquieta Agro-Industrial School for the last 35 years.

Ciriaco Pastrano Park was established during the time of the late Mayor Ciriaco Pastrano with the support of the OAIS (Oroquieta Agro-Industrial School) in the 120 hectare of land and forest in Clarin Settlement, a city barangay 10-15 kilometers away from the city proper. It begun to become famous for the Oroquietanons and the students of OAIS, however, in 1988 the park and the school was deserted after an attack by the insurgents as it become a battlefield.

Life seems useless in the area when people evacuated and scampered for their safety, when government forces and the rebels fight each other,”some civilians were killed and suffered”. The Ciriaco Pastrano Park become infamous as it goes back to its origin a second growth virgin forest with flora and fauna surviving.

When government retake it from the insurgents, people started to come back and continue their farming and livelihood, but the school administration of OAIS decided to transfer their school to a safer place however, continues to manage the area.

Today with the new administration of City Mayor Jason Almonte who had been always a dreamer, decided to make it as one of his executive agenda to revive the eco-park for the Oroquietanons and let it be known not only in Misamis Occidental but to the world that, in this part of Northern Mindanao there is a place for the new generation to visit and learn, why?

Mr. Eden Pito, DENR Protected Areas and Wildlife expert who was invited to give a message, said that all things must be connected, we must preserved and protect our environment, because biodiversity is life and it is our life.

On the said eco walk, participants from the office of the City Mayor, the Sanggunian Panlungsod and other department with their employees realized that it is their responsibility to start reviving the mini forest to become again a beautiful eco-park for their children’s children.

ECOWALK 2010: Advocating against Climate Change and promote Eco-Tourism “ADTO TA and help revive Eco Park”

By PJTremedal, BNDMisOC-CIB/OCM

Oroquieta City – The local government of Oroquieta with its employees under its organization OCIGEA or the Oroquieta City Government employees Association will be conducting an eco walk to become an advocate against Climate Change that is now being felt not only in this part of the world.

Said Eco Walk is also to visit a tourist destination of which was already neglected because at a time it was a dangerous place to live or to become a tourist destination because of yesteryears peace and order problem. The place is called Ciriaco Pastrano Park who had been under the Oroquieta Agricultural Industrial School (OAIS) administration and been improved and utilized by the former government way back in the 80’s.

Today with the local government under its new administration, City Mayor Jason P. Almonte thru the recommendations from the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Tourism that the place will be visited for tourism rehabilitation program and eventually put its heart out to become an advocate of the preservation of the natural resources and its environs against climate change and other environmental problems, the walk will be participated by all OCIGEA members to promote its rehabilitation and be considered as one tourism attraction of the city. The walk’s theme: is simply reviving Oroquieta’s eco- park in the 80’s. “ADTO TA and help revive the EcoPark”

“It will be the start of our tourism initiatives to be done with this administration” Tourism Committee Chair, Hon. Ruvy “Alay”Ala said.

On Friday, the walk will start from the center of Clarin Settlement, a 10 kilometer Barangay away from the city proper which the local government employees will be shuttled by vehicles and assembled to a 30 minute walk to reach the Cipriano Pastrano Park.

A program will follow with the agenda on the tourism development plans and programs of the city government and a message from the City Mayor after which local management from the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources will commence to talk about the importance of environmental protection and preservation, climate change and its effects, and other issues and concern to include peace and order.

In the program, Mr. Eden Pito of DENR will be the resource speaker while City Administrator Engr. Arecio Casing Jr will give the overview of the activity of which a ceremonial tree planting will take place.

The said walk will culminate with a commitment and a pledge of support from the OCIGEA organization and other visitors and guest to protect and preserve nature thru sustainable tourism industry initiatives to be benefitted by Oroquietanons.

It may be recalled that with the former administration of now Congressman Jorge Taghap Almonte of the 1^st Misamis Occidental Congressional District, Environment its protection and preservation is one of the former administration’s agenda J.O.R.G.E (Jobs and Livelihood Initiative, Oroquieta to become center of Excellence for Education, Relentless action to achieved Peace and order, Justice, Good Governance, and Environmental Protection and Preservation, Climate Change and Health),thus, the city is now called the “City of Good Life”.

City LGU appealed to DepED to include its city schools division budget to the GAA2011 and every year thereafter.

By PJTremedal, BNDMisOC-CIB/OCM

Oroquieta City- The local government of Oroquieta City earnestly request DepED thru its former Secretary Mona Dumlao Valisno but unfortunately replaced by now, Secretary Bro Armin A. Luistro to facilitate the inclusion of all expenses of the City Schools Division of the city to the national government with the General Appropriations Act for Calendar year 2011.

The said letter request from the city mayor also seek the help and support and endorsement from the 1^st District Representative, Congressman Jorge T. Almonte , The Regional Director of DepED 10, and the favorable intercession of His Excellency President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to continue the effort of the city government in promoting quality education.

It may be recalled that, the City Government of Oroquieta despite of its very limited resources, exhausted all means to establish its own City Schools Division and in Year 2003 it was in an Ad Interim Status and finally became a full-fledged Division on January 31, 2007.

The local government allocated appropriations every year after for personal services, maintenance and other operating expenses and its capital outlay sourced out from local funds, and aside from other instances, the School Division has urgent financial needs, The City Government regularly spend so much amount to address its financial needs.

For this year 2010, the city government allocated 1.6-M.

With the said letter request to the Department of Education, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Oroquieta City adopted and approved SP Resolution No. 2010-08-402 in support to the city mayor’s earnest appeal to include the City Schools Division of Oroquieta Budget and other resources to be included in the General Appropriation Act for CY 2011.

With the new set of the national government administration under His Excellency President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, the city government of Oroquieta in behalf of its people, that there is now a full-fledged city schools division, it is favorably hoped that the division’s regular budget will be included and incorporated to the General Appropriation Act and the 2011 national budget and to every year thereafter, to advocate and promote quality education to this part of Northern Mindanao.

The city government now under City Mayor Jason P. Almonte has continued its predecessors commitment, not because that the former city mayor now Congressman Jorge T. Almonte, the father of Mayor Jason but because his own agenda to continue the pursue education for he believes that education is the solution of today’s many social problem.

No to Minors on FB’s- SP says…

By PJTremedal, BNDMisOC-CIB/OCM

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of this city is now requesting the nation’s Maritime Authority to prohibit minors in making errands, playing games or join fishing with Fishing Boats (FB’s) in the high seas and even during ducking operations at the Manuel L. Quezon-Oroquieta City Fish Ports whom children at their very small ages seen and allegedly involve in fishing activities, such as carrying load of fish and some are involve in asking fish from the fishing boats or local known as “Mamugsik”.

With SP Resolution No. 2010-08-424, The Sangguniang Panlungsod presided by the City Vice Mayor Harry Guantero passed and approved to request the Maritime Authority to prohibit such presence and activities to protect children.

The Resolution farther stated that minors are seen frequents the city fish port and even reported joining such fishing activities with or without parents consent.

The request is to find remedial and appropriate measures in order to protect them from any danger apart from the fact that the practice is against existing laws.

Adopted, last August 5, 2010 during its regular session upon motion of Hon. Richard Villabert and duly seconded by Hon. Leocadio Digal, said resolution is furnished also to the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development Office for consideration.

Oroquieta City is not only an agriculture community but a fishing place. Children of fishing families frequents the city fish port especially when fishing boats docked and met the fishermen whom some of them are their own father, relatives or friends.

But some concern members of the community realized that these activities are disadvantageous to the children especially the minors and are risky for the minors to play, give some errand, or just playing or swimming within the vicinity, or asking some kilos of fish to bring home.

Said reports prompted the City Councilor Villabert to make a move to protect those children or minors, even they are the responsibilities of their own parents, but because of social reasons and responsibility as a local legislator find it is also the responsibility of the government to protect the children.

LGU’s, the Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE), DSWD and even the parents are aware of all laws protecting the rights of children embodied not only with the nation’s laws but with the universal laws of the United Nations where the country is a member.

Meantime, said resolution is now indorse with the office of the city mayor, Hon. Jason P. Almonte for his comments and actions. Oroquieta City is a child-friendly city.