Bukidnon Newswatch Online

We are back!

mindanaw — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:04:21 +0000

Bukidnon Newswatch Online will be back online starting this week.

We planned to post the major stories in the issue last week, this week.

But we intend to go real time, in the future. Kindly note, however, that the online version is a separate entity of the weekly printed version. Please bear with our work transition.

Thank you!

- The Bukidnon Newswatch Online Team

Visit “Bukidnon Our Home”

mindanaw — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:20:31 +0000

For more news and information on Bukidnon visit the http://www.ourbukidnon.wordpress.com (Bukidnon Our Home blog).

Fake tribal leaders exist – NCIP

mindanaw — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:24:36 +0000

MALAYBALAY CITY (21 Oct) – The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples has ordered a review and revalidation of the roster of datus and baes (chieftains) in Northern Mindanao following complaints over the alleged existence of fake tribal leaders, an official said.

Ma. Shirlene D. Sario, NCIP Bukidnon provincial officer, told MindaNews the order was issued as far back as August 11 by the NCIP central office.

She showed a memorandum issued on August 12 by Tommie Labaon, NCIP-10 regional director, asking the provincial office to submit “validated names of tribal leaders and elders” to the NCIP’s Technical Management Service Division “for further references and consideration”.

“Region 10 is one under bloated suspicion that impostor and fake tribal leaders are included in the master list,” Labaon said in the memo to Sario.

Labaon has cited that in other areas genuine IPs and tribal leaders and elders are being “forsaken” and “cast aside”.

“…Which is highly contrary to the IPRA’s (Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act) wisdom of IP empowerment,” he said.

The problem has reportedly caused irritants and feuds among indigenous peoples and non-IPs.

“Weed out the fake,” one of the NCIP commissioners was quoted in another document that also called for the validation of the master list of tribal leaders and elders.

Sario said that as NCIP provincial officer, she does not have the power to pinpoint the fake from the genuine leaders. Instead, she has called for forums where the validation process could take place.

“That’s allowing them to decide for themselves and our role is just to facilitate it,” she told this reporter Friday.

Sario said the process is timely as October is indigenous people’s month. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act or IPRA was signed on October 29, 1997. (Walter I. Balane)

Council defers market extension vote

mindanaw — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:55:13 +0000

MALAYBALAY CITY – The city council took a day tackling the proposed extension of the public market’s contract time Tuesday, browsing a timeline of events, requesting on and off the record discussions, calling in the city legal consultant, and even asking people in the gallery to step out for at least an hour. But at the end of the day the members have deferred its much awaited decision on the delayed project.

The city council has postponed its decision for at least another week with Vice Mayor Ignacio W. Zubiri tasking Councilor Manuel Dinlayan, committee chair on infrastructure, zoning, and land use to “render a report” as head of the lead committee for the next session. Zubiri said they deferred all other items in the agenda to give way to the matter. The council tackled the item acting as a “committee as a whole” but the ball was passed to Dinlayan’s committee when a time for a motion was expected.

Initial consensus?

Zubiri told Newswatch they would try to come up with a decision next week when Dinlayan renders his report.

Councilor Amado Estrada, committee chair on economic enterprise, however told Newswatch moments after adjournment that there was already an “initial consensus” to agree to extend.

“But it (the resolution) would still be subject for finalization next week with some conditions,” he said.

Zubiri said “there was no official consensus” yet if the council would agree to H.R. Lopez Co Inc’s request to extend the contract time of the P225 million, three-phase infrastructure project.

Conditions

Dinlayan told Newswatch they are trying to consider two possible conditions if they agree to extend.

”That the payment scheme should stick to what has been stated in the signed contract, that is, on itemized payment and not lump sum as pushed by the firm; and that there should be no escalation of prices,” he said.

On August 1, the Lopez firm wrote Mayor Florencio T. Flores Jr. for the extension.

Flores endorsed the request to the city council on the same day, but the session on September 23 was yet the second time spent by the legislators in length on the matter.

On and off the record

Discussions ensued around 9:30a.m. until noon and then 1:50 to 3p.m. over several issues. The topics have ranged from the discussion of a chronology of events submitted by City Engineer Teodocio Pabillaran, who was later subjected to questioning by the councilors.

Pabillaran reported that the firm has pushed for some revisions in the interior of the two-storey public market, based on the recommendation of the market administrator. (The councilors decided to keep the ensuing discussion on this and other matters “off the record”).

The councilors also took turns asking questions on the content of the contract and its status as of date referring to the question on the implication of the request for extension.

“Are we to extend if it has expired? What is your legal opinion on this?” Zubiri asked Councilor Fernando Melendez, a lawyer. Melendez said his “professional legal opinion” is that it has expired but extending the contract time can also be done.

In good faith?

Councilor Glorio Sajulga (ABC President) also inquired about the laidback manner of dealing with the project when strict rules were observed even at the barangay level.

Councilor Jimmy Gellor also asked Pabillaran about the contractor on whether it has performed in “good faith”.

Pabillaran told the council he finds the firm being in good faith, except his qualms about the problem on their insistence to collect by lump sum.

Since Pabillaran’s statements were made while the councilors agreed to keep the discussion “off the record”, Gellor had to ask Pabillaran if he was willing to repeat his statement this time “on the record”.

Pabillaran agreed. “Yes, it is my honest opinion,” he told Gellor, who reminded the secretariat to put it on the record.

Gellor then later explained that he was stressing on “good faith” because good faith includes coping with the challenges.

“The firm was not able to finish within the contracted 540 working days and the 150 days extension,” he said.

The real cause of delay?

Pabillaran admitted that the major cause of the delay was that the firm lacked materials and laborers. His statement veered away from earlier contentions saying a “legal problem” caused the delay.

But he hinted that maybe it’s because they were not getting how much they were asking (collections).

Gellor then said if the contract time be extended the firm should put up a performance bond, which was included in the contract.

The councilors agreed to establish a consensus first before any motion whether to grant an extension would be laid on the floor.

Closed-door session

Around 3p.m. Zubiri asked all staffs and guests, including this reporter to leave the session hall and only “members of the city council could stay” for a closed-door deliberation.

City Legal consultant Jesus Barroso, a retired judge, arrived at around 3:30p.m. During Barroso’s appearance at the city council on Sept. 2, he said all legal impediments to the project was taken out by the Commission on Audit Legal opinion on July 3 and it’s up to the city council to decide whether to grant the extension.

The councilors reviewed the project’s contract after obtaining a copy from City Hall on Sept. 23. They checked and found out that indeed the contract stated for an itemized collection scheme.

Earlier, Councilor Bob Roberto Casanova gave a brief review of the story of the project. He said the contract did not have problems with the price, but he said “naay sobra gamay sa quantity” (there was slight excess in quantity).

Some councilors noted that many clarifications were made because they were furnished a copy of the contract.

“If only the contract was shown to us earlier, our discussions shouldn’t have reached this long,” councilor Gellor said. (Walter I. Balane)

Kibawe mayor, et al held for fund misuse

mindanaw — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:19:19 +0000

By Mel B. Madera KIBAWE, Bukidnon – Mayor Luciano Ligan, town mayor here and five other local officials were arrested on February 29 over charges of illegal use of public funds.

Local police served Friday last week the warrant of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City against the local officials.

Arrested with Ligan were Ma. Asuncion Codilla, municipal treasurer; Edgar Mulat, municipal engineer; Cristito Dones, Jr., former municipal planning and development; Narciso Chavez, Jr, former municipal budget officer and now Administrative Officer IV and Ellen Piquero, municipal accountant.

The five others were members of the town’s Local Finance Committee (LFC) during Ligan’s first term as mayor from 2001 to 2004.

Ligan and the others posted bail on the same day, averting detention for the case filed by six municipal councilors against them over unauthorized diversion of funds allocated for the town’s participation in the Kaamulan festival in 2002.

Instead of joining the festival that year, the municipal government decided to build a tourism hall without the approval of the municipal council.

S/Insp. Edgardo Tumarong, who led team serving the warrant, admitted they did not handcuff the accused when they volunteered to turn themselves for the arrest.

The police team then reportedly escorted the six to the RTC office.

Police report said they served the warrant against Ligan, a third-term mayor, and the others at around 9a.m. at the Municipal Hall.

Police then escorted the accused to the Regional Trial Court 10 Branch 8 in Malaybalay City to post bail. Each posted bond of P30, 000 for temporary liberty.

The arrest came 14 days after the criminal case for technical malversation or illegal use of funds was docketed at the Sandiganbayan on February 15, 2008.

The case was for violation of Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code on illegal use of funds.

Ligan told Newswatch via telephone the case is “purely politically motivated.” He said the building is in place and he did not pocket the funds. He said, however, they are ready to face charges in court.

From the Sandiganbayan, the case could proceed to the Supreme Court, a legal counsel told Newswatch.

On September 26, 2001, the municipal council approved a budget of P500, 000 allocated for “Tourism activities/ Kaamulan” under ordinance No. 6 series of 2001.

Ligan in 2002, instead used the amount for the construction of the at least P1.2 million Tourism Function Hall, a project for which no fund was appropriated. The provincial government reportedly gave around P700, 000 assistance for the project.

Based on the Ombudsman information approved by Tanodbayan Merceditas Gutierrez on January 22, 2008, Ligan tried to work for the realignment of the appropriation but he did this at the time when the project was on-going as could be seen in the Minutes of the Regular Session of the municipal council on February 5, 2003.

On April 24, Ligan wrote a letter to the Provincial Budget Officer about the on-going construction of the function hall, which did not go through the municipal council.

Six of the ten municipal councilors then filed a complainant in 2003 at the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao against the town executives’ move.

The complaint focused on the alleged illegal construction sans appropriation and knowledge of the local legislators that the project was not in the scope of the town’s infrastructure project for the year; that it’s a misapplication of public fund considering that the construction is under the category of “projects” and not under “activities”.

The complainants include Raymundo Batao, Jr., Gerardo Tan, Rogelio Lahunay, Niel Panis, Gregoria Cabug-os and Rave Romero; all members of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Kibawe from 2001-2004.

Batao is son of former municipal mayor Raymundo, Sr. whom Ligan defeated in 2001.

Cabug-os was the federation president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) and Romero, federation president of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). Tan and Cabug-os were elected to the SB in 2007.

The accused refuted the complaint stressing the construction was covered by the annual budget for 2002; that tourism development of the town was approved by the Municipal Development Council and adopted by the SB; that the fund was used legitimately to build the hall and that “Tourism Activities/Kaamulan” should not be confined to mere street dancing but to a “more laudable and progressive” improvement of the town such as building a tourism function hall.

The Ombudsman Mindanao resolved in 2004 that by using the fund intended for “tourism Activities/ Kaamulan” for the construction of the hall, the municipal officials committed technical malversation. The case

In technical malversation, the offenders do not derive any personal gain or profit or that it resulted to no damage or embarrassment to the public service; still the respondents are held liable.

Batao told NEWSWATCH on March 5 the issuance of the warrant showed at least that “the truth is revealed”.

He defended his move to question the administration’s decision then as a proof that he only meant to do his job and not to hinder projects.

Ligan said the construction of the tourism hall went through proper public bidding.

“I never put the funds on my pocket nor my co-accused. The project is visible in our bare eyes and can be touched by our bare hands. It is there. The people of Kibawe already used it for years after its completion,” he stressed.

NEWSWATCH tried to get comments from the other respondents but reached only Dones and Piquero. Both declined to comment.

Another source who requested anonymity said the mayor asked a resolution for realignment of the said funds but the council turned down the request since construction has already started.

Article 220 provides that “any public officer who shall apply any public fund or property under his administration to any public use other than for which such fund or property were appropriated by law or ordinance shall suffer the penalty of prision correctional in its minimum period or a fine ranging from one-half to the total of the sum misapplied, if by reason of such misapplication, any damages or embarrassment shall have resulted to the public service. In either case, the offender shall also suffer the penalty of temporary special disqualification.”

Retired Judge Vivencio Estrada of the Regional Trial Court 10 explained that “prison correctional” refers to 6 months and one day to 2 years and 4 months imprisonment. (Mel B. Madera/Newswatch)

Capitol mulls jatropha plan, hits BFI

mindanaw — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:13:18 +0000

By Walter I. Balane/Newswatch

MALAYBALAY CITY –The provincial government has said it plans to plant thousands of hectares of barren lands with jatropha (locally known as tuba tuba) within the area of the Bukidnon Forests Inc. whose reforestation efforts it has branded as disastrous.

Gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri, Jr. said Wednesday that the province plans to introduce jatropha in at least 21,000 hectares of BFI’s 39,000-hectare area by availing of the national government’s P10-billion fund for the program.

BFI’s area is covered by an Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) whose operations were initially funded by the New Zealand government.

The BFI plantation project covers the towns of Impasugong, Manolo Fortich, and Malitbog and Malaybalay.

Zubiri said the rising prices of oil signal a shift to alternative sources of fuels.

The governor’s son, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, is the principal author of the Biofuels Act, which promotes the use of fuel from alternative sources such as ethanol. The older Zubiri admitted he still needs to consult several ancestral domain claimants who are poised to take over the area when BFI’s IFMA ends in 2016. But he said there is no need for them to wait for 2016, as the BFI could hardly sustain its operations.

He said he needs to convince the indigenous peoples to turn to cultivating tuba-tuba for its economic returns. A negotiation with the Philippine National Oil Company to buy the oil from the plantation is in the drawing board, he added.

The provincial government plans to provide the lumads with capital to buy seeds, get farm support such as fertilizer and even living allowance for two years under the provincial livelihood program.

He said the scheme is good for livelihood as the lumads could earn at least P50,000 to P60, 000 per hectare per year if they plant jatropha.

He claimed, too, that the scheme serves two purposes: livelihood and soil erosion control.

But he noted the need for caution because there are overlapping ancestral domains claims over the BFI area.

He admitted they are still in the planning stage claiming “we are only disabusing our minds.”

“We have to get approval from PNOC that they would buy our tuba tuba,” he said.

He said they want to start with the project right. “We want to make sure; dili ko gusto nga dili (I don’t want this to be not) successful,” he stressed.

He said, however, that Bukidnon should go ahead with other provinces in availing of funds from the national government.

Zubiri vowed to conduct a public forum to show which areas will be planted in order to clarify that productive areas such as those planted to corn, fruits and vegetables will not be touched.

“But if the owners (the ancestral domain claimants) do not want tuba-tuba, then no problem,” he said.

MindaNews is yet to reach representatives of ancestral domain claimants to get their comments.

But church workers of the Diocese of Malaybalay resolved during the 38th Pastoral Assembly last week that proper government institutions and officials should make proper consultations before deciding on the plan.

Zubiri announced the plan in an interview with radio station dxDB on March 5 in response to the resolution passed by the diocesan assembly.

He also clarified the proposal will not touch around 500 hectares of pine trees, which helps provide this city with a cool climate.

The governor declared he no longer favors BFI activities claiming the corporation could no longer sustain its operations. “Sige operate pero walay sweldo-sweldo,” (In operation, but could not pay wages).

He said the BFI, a government-owned corporation, has not recovered after 16 years of operations.

Manuel Casiño, BFI general manager, told MindaNews Thursday the company has been able to pay wages even if it is existing on a “hand to mouth situation”.

He admitted that initial replanting operations were a disaster but that they have perfected the reforestation project since 1995.

He said BFI has succeeded in replanting at least 6,300 hectares, about half of which have been planted to Caribbean pine trees.

But he also admitted that about 18,000 hectares of its “plantable”area of 21,000 hectares still needs replanting.

He said the 39,000 hectares covered by the IFMA includes 13,700 hectares of virgin forests with native trees such as lauan, a dipterocarp species.

Casiño refused to give more comments saying he does not want a rift
with the governor who sits as member of the board of directors of BFI. (Walter I. Balane/Newswatch)

Bukidnon celebrates 91st founding anniversary

mindanaw — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:08:10 +0000

MALAYBALAY CITY – The Province of Bukidnon is turning 91 years on March 10, declared by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a special non-working holiday.

A long civic parade, considered among the highlights of the festivities, and a traditional anniversary program with Senate President Manuel Villar as guest of honor had been slated.

The founding anniversary celebration forms part of a month-long celebration of the annual Kaamulan Festival. Proclamation number 1461 states that Monday March 10, 2008 marks the 91st foundation day anniversary of the province, thus it is fitting and proper that the people of Bukidnon be given full opportunity to celebrate the occasion with appropriate activities.

The proclamation issued February 13 this year was signed in behalf of Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo by Eduardo Ermita, the executive secretary.

In supplement of the proclamation, Governor Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr., issued a memorandum number 75 series of 2008 informing all chief of office, national and local, city or municipal mayors and other concerned establishments within the province about the celebration.

According to entries in wikipedia, Bukidnon became a part of Misamis in the latter part of 1850. The whole area was then called Malaybalay (few houses) and the people were known as Bukidnons (mountain people). The Philippine Commission then headed by Commissioner Dean C. Worcester, Secretary of Interior and a member of the Philippine Commission proposed the separation of Bukidnon from Misamis Province.

On August 20, 1907, the Philippine Commission Act No. 1693 was enacted the Province of Agusan and sub- province of Bukidnon. Bukidnon became a regular province on March 10, 1917 by virtue of the creation of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu under Act 2711.

In 1942, the Japanese troops entered in Bukidnon.

In 1945, the liberated by the defenders of the Filipino and American troops with the Filipino guerrillas entered in Bukidnon by the attack of the Japanese forces during the Second World War.

According to oral history of the indigenous people of Bukidnon, there were four main tribes in Central Mindanao: the Maranao who dwell in Lanao del Sur, and the Maguindanao, Manobo and Talaandig who respectively inhabit the eastern, southern, and north-central portions of the original province of Cotabato. When the civil government divided central Mindanao into provinces at the turn of the 20th century, the groups included in the province of Bukidnon are the Talaandig and the Manobo. The Bisayans, Cebuano, Boholanos and Ilonggos migrated into the province followed by various groups from Luzon, namely, the Ilocanos, Batangueños, the Igorots and the Ivatans.

All contributed massive acculturation among the indigenous tribes. Most of those who moved to the mountains and forest continued to hold on their ancestors’ cultural heritage. The wide variety of Filipino groups now thrives in the province and contributed immensely in the socio-economic development.

There were failed initiatives in the past to subdivide the province into two smaller provinces. Now, Bukidnon has two component cities and 20 municipalities. (With reports from ADPA/Newswatch)

Caraga-based group tagged on local rob series

mindanaw — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:05:07 +0000

MALAYBALAY CITY – Police announced they have identified the culprits of a series of robbery cases here pointing to a Caraga-based group.

Police S/Insp. Melvyn Valcorza, Malaybalay City PNP director, however, could not reveal the identity of the suspects even if he said they are based in Caraga region.

He urged business establishments; however, to employ the services o security guards to supplement police forces since police personnel could not match the size of the city’s population.

Valcorza told Newswatch they have obtained “100 percent” identity of the suspected robbers. He said local police pursued a probe in the cities of Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Butuan, the capital of the Caraga region.

“Mibunga gyud ang among imbestigasyon kay na-identiy man namo ang mga suspek” (Our investigation produced results since we are able to identify the suspects) he said.

But Valcorza refused to reveal the suspects’ identities pending surveillance operations.

Early morning on January 30, robbers broke in the WSC Marketing store in the downtown area and Honda Powercycle in Sumpong.

The suspects took 150 units of mobile phones with estimated value of P150,000.00 and assorted jewelry worth P50,000.00 from WSC Marketing.

From Honda Powercycle, the suspects carted away a cellular phone with charger, a wallet containing personal documents, elbow and knee protectors, a raincoat and a belt bag.

However no motorcycle was stolen but even the store’s medicine kit was not spared.

A few weeks earlier, four establishments in the city were ransacked about almost at the same time.

The suspects entered LBC outlet where about P170,000.00 cash money was declared stolen.

The local branch of Freewill Finance Corporation lost at least P120, 000.00 to thieves who took it from a cash vault. Texter’s Choice store lost a laptop.

Suspects managed to enter the following establishments by destroying the stores’ padlocks.

Valcorza revealed that they are now waiting for appropriate time to arrest the suspects.

He appealed to all the victims to fully cooperate with them to pursue to the case.(ADPA/Newswatch)

Valencia bet wins Bb. Bukidnon 2008 pageant

mindanaw — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:02:16 +0000

MALAYBALAY CITY – Nineteen-year old Sherry Jane Ampong, a student from Valencia City is crowned as the Binibining Bukidnon (Laga ta Bukidnon) 2008 on March 5 at the Folk Arts Theater here.

Ampong bested 14 other candidates to the ethnic-inspired beauty pageant revived this year after it was shelved in the 1990s.

Ampong is a third year Bachelor of Science in Business Administration student at the Bukidnon State University.

She told Newswatch she wanted to become a successful ramp model and a successful businesswoman.

Another bet from Valencia City, Mary Jane Diog, 21, a graduate of B.S. Agricultural Education from Central Mindanao University won as First runner up.

The Laga ta Bukidnon search has become a permanent part of the annual Kaamulan festival according to the provincial ordinance institutionalizing the Kaamulan. he following is a list of the pageants other major and minor winners based on officials results obtained from organizers:

Laga ta Bukidnon 2nd Runner Up (Angel Mae Basiwa, Sumilao, Bukidnon)
Laga ta Bukidnon 3rd Runner Up (Sara Ross Dazo, Damulog, Bukidnon)
Laga ta Bukidnon 4th Runner Up (Jenalyn Rosario, Malaybalay City)
Miss Congeniality (Joan Langub, Valencia City)
Best in Talent (Jenalyn Rosario, Malaybalay City)
Best in Creation Attire (Sara Ross Dazo, Damulog, Bukidnon)
Best in Bukidnon Ethnic Attire (Sara Ross Dazo, Damulog, Bukidnon)
Best in Swimsuit (Sherry Jane Ampong, Valencia City)
Best in Ethnic Inspired Gown (Sara Ross Dazo, Damulog, Bukidnon)
Designer of the Night (Designer of Candidate #8 Sumilao)

Sponsors and other groups also gave out special awards to the following winners:

Darling of the Press (Jenalyn Rosario, Malaybalay)
Performer of the Night (Angel Mae Basiwa, Sumilao, Bukidnon)
Miss Olive C (Shela Fabroa, Malaybalay City)
Miss Babyflo Cologne (Melody Mae Borja, Manolo Fortich)
Miss Babyflo Powder (Angel Mae Basiwa, Sumilao, Bukidnon)
Miss Essence of Mt. Kitanglad (Angel Mae Basiwa, Sumilao, Bukidnon)
Miss New Placenta Soap (Juliebelle Barcelona, Quezon, Bukidnon)
Miss Maxi Peel (Sherry Jane Ampong, Valencia City)
Miss Ponds (Jenalyn Rosario, Malaybalay City)
Miss Creamsilk (Juliebelle Barcelona, Quezon, Bukidnon)
Miss Close-Up Smile (Jenalyn Rosario, Malaybalay City
Miss Light Coke (Juvy Luv Ramos, Talakag, Bukidnon)
Miss Photogenic (Sychell Ann Sedon, Malaybalay City)
Miss Top Power Energy Drink (Sherry Jane Ampong, Valencia City)
Miss Hbc Bukidnon (Shela Fabroa, Malaybalay City)
Miss Ever Bilena (Mary Jane Diog, Valencia City)
Miss Telegenic (Jenalyn Rosario, Malaybalay City)
Miss Love Radio (Mary Jane Diog, Valencia City)

Top winners won trophies and cash prizes. (Newswatch)

mindanaw — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 05:30:25 +0000

Boys dance to ethnic music during the street dancing contest of
Malaybalay City’s Kaamulan Festival March 8.
MindaNews photo: Bobby Timonera